PURPOSE: People that suffer from Diabetes Mellitus (DM) type II constitute a risk population for hearing disorders, since metabolic disease can affect nerve and vascular tissues that attain directly the auditory system. The present study investigated the audiologic profile of patients with DM type II. METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out, where 44 patients (88 ears) were evaluated. The ages of the subjects ranged from 25 to 65 years. All subjects underwent an audiological evaluation that included pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry and acoustic immittance measures. RESULTS: The prevalence of patients with DM type II was higher among female (77.3%). Thirty one (70.4%) patients had DM type II for less than 10 years. Thirty three ears (37.5%) had sensorineural hearing loss ranging from low to moderate degree, predominantly in high frequencies. In the acoustic immittance measures, 71 (80,7%) ears showed type A tympanograms and 83 (94,3%) ears had presence of acoustic reflex. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of hearing loss was observed in patients with DM type II; consequently, the auditory evaluation of these patients is important to the follow up of the hearing loss.
Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Blood glucose; Hearing loss
