Uncontrolled HbA1c Levels Linked to Higher Incidence of Hearing Loss in Type 1 Diabetes Patients: Study
India: A recent study published in the Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery has revealed that type 1 diabetes patients with poorly controlled HbA1c levels are at a higher risk of developing sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) than those with well-managed blood sugar levels.
The researchers reported that pure tone audiometry assessments revealed a higher incidence of hearing impairment in patients with poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c > 7%) compared to those with controlled diabetes (HbA1c < 7%). While gender did not significantly influence hearing loss, there was a strong association between elevated HbA1c levels and sensorineural hearing loss.
Tarun Ojha, along with colleagues from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, conducted a prospective study to investigate the prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and uncontrolled HbA1c levels.
The study included 72 patients under 18 years diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from the departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Endocrinology, all of whom were willing to undergo an ENT examination. Exclusion criteria included patients with Type 2 diabetes, a history of ear disease, head or ear trauma, use of ototoxic drugs, a family history of congenital deafness, prior ear surgeries, or exposure to excessive noise. Written consent was obtained from parents, and a thorough ENT examination was performed.
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