Hearing loss and diabetes from The Diabetic News

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Diabetes Affects Hearing Loss, Especially in Women

27-Jan-2012

Having diabetes may cause women to experience a greater degree of hearing

loss as they age, especially if the metabolic disorder is not well

controlled with medication, according to a new study from Henry Ford

Hospital in Detroit.

Women between the ages of 60 and 75 with well-controlled diabetes had better

hearing than women with poorly controlled diabetes, with similar hearing

levels to those of non-diabetic women of the same age.

The study also shows significantly worse hearing in all women younger than

60 with diabetes, even if it is well controlled.

Men, however, had worse hearing loss across the board compared to women in

the study, regardless of their age or whether or not they had diabetes.

" A certain degree of hearing loss is a normal part of the aging process for

all of us, but it is often accelerated in patients with diabetes, especially

if blood-glucose levels are not being controlled with medication and diet, "

says J. Hands, D.O., with the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck

Surgery at Henry Ford.

" Our study really points to importance of patients controlling their

diabetes, especially as they age, based on the impact it may have on hearing

loss. "

The study was presented Jan. 26 in Miami Beach at the annual Triological

Society's Combined Sections Meeting.

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 26 million people in

the U.S. have diabetes, and another 34.5 million have some degree of hearing

loss. Signs of hearing loss include difficulty hearing background noises or

hearing conversations in large groups, as well as regularly needing to turn

up the volume on a radio or TV.

While the association between diabetes and hearing loss has previously been

studied, Henry Ford researchers sought to learn more about hearing

differences among patients with well-controlled diabetes, poorly controlled

diabetes, and those who do not have diabetes.

The Henry Ford research team reviewed records for 990 patients that had

audiograms performed between 2000 and 2008 at the hospital. Patients were

categorized by gender, age (younger than 60 years old, between 60-75 years

old and older than 75 years old), and if they had diabetes. Those with

diabetes were divided into two groups: well-controlled or poorly controlled,

as determined by the American Diabetes Association guidelines that use HbA1C

blood levels.

Dr. Handzo notes that previous studies about diabetes and hearing loss have

not focused on blood-glucose levels, nor did they include such a diverse

population based on age and gender.

The Henry Ford team looked at patients' pure tone average, a measurement

that determines hearing level at certain frequency, and speech recognition

at different ages. The team evaluated pure tone average ranges that focus on

the frequency at which most people speak and the very high frequencies used

in music and alarms.

Women between the ages of 60 and 75 with poorly controlled diabetes had

significantly worse hearing than those whose diabetes was well-controlled

and the control group. Among the women younger than 60, those with diabetes

- regardless of whether or not it was being controlled - had worse hearing

than non-diabetic women.

For the men in the study, there was no significant difference in hearing

between those with diabetes that well-controlled or poorly controlled, as

well as those who did not have diabetes.

" Younger males in general have worse hearing, enough so to possibly mask any

impact diabetes may have on hearing. But our findings really call for future

research to determine the possible role gender plays in hearing loss, " says

Dr. Handzo.

Funding: Henry Ford Hospital. Along with Dr. Handzo, Henry Ford study

authors are Virginia S. Ramachandran, Au.D.; Brad A. Stach, Ph.D.; Ed S.

, Ph.D.; and Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, M.D.

Source: Henry Ford Health System

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