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Diabetic retinopathy correlates with hearing loss
Researchers found that when adjusted to include diabetes control, the severity of diabetic retinopathy showed a correlation with degree of hearing loss at most levels, according to a study in Optometry and Vision Science.
The retrospective chart review included 175 male patients with diabetes, of which most were Caucasian (91%), with 3% African American, 3% Native American 2% Hispanic and 1% Asian.
HbA1C was used as a control variable, according to the study.
Researchers found “no significant effect of pure-tone average across diabetic retinopathy severity of the right ear and only a modestly significant effect in the left ear,” they said. “However, the severity of hearing loss was significant in both ears.”
It was not until the early 21st century that multiple large-scale studies began to reveal the extent of sensorineural hearing loss in those with diabetes, according to the researchers.
They concluded that these results show that diabetic control as measured by HbA1C and serum creatinine levels and the degrees of diabetic retinopathy are positively correlated with the severity of sensorineural hearing loss. – by Abigail Sutton
Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.