Auditory evaluation in patients with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a prospective clinical study of the cochleovestibular symptoms and the risk cofactors and characteristics of hearing loss in patients with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
Group 1 consisted of 40 patients with type 1 diabetes, and group 2 consisted of 20 control subjects without diabetes. All participants answered a questionnaire, and their medical records were reviewed. They also were submitted to otorhinolaryngological examinations and to auditory tests (pure tone audiometry and acoustic immitance and auditory brain stem response [ABR] tests).


RESULTS
Dyslipidemia, hypertension, retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy were not frequent in the patients of group 1, but incipient nephropathy was present in 47.5% of them. The most frequent cochleovestibular symptoms were tinnitus and hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss was found in 4 patients of group 1 and was predominantly bilateral, symmetric, and affecting the high frequencies, coexisting with normal vocal discrimination. These patients had a longer time from diabetes diagnosis and had poor glycemia control. A delay of ABR interpeak latency I-III was observed in 11.25% of the group 1 ears. All patients of group 2 presented normal audiograms and ABR tests.


CONCLUSIONS
In group 1, the most frequent cochleovestibular symptoms were tinnitus and hearing loss. The sensorineural hearing loss was mild, symmetric, and predominantly high-frequency. A delay of ABR interpeak latencies was detected in the patients of group 1 who had normal audiometric thresholds.
Departments of Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology and Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
Adriana Bueno Benito
AB
Pessin
Regina Helena Garcia
RH
Martins
Walkyíria de Paula
Wde P
Pimenta
Antônio Caetano Pereira
AC
Simões
Alessandra
A
Marsiglia
Amanda Vieira
AV
Amaral
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012022:Reflex, Acoustic / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013198:Stapedius / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires