High Frequency Audiometry and Stapedius Muscle Reflex Thresholds in Juvenile Diabetics

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Abstract
Juvenile, insulin-treated diabetics (61) < 50 yr old with a duration of diabetes mellitus longer than 10 yr underwent impedance audiometry with determination of stapedius reflex thresholds at 500 Hz, 1, 2 and 4 kHz, conventional pure tone and speech audiometry, and high-frequency audiometry up to 20 kHz. Normative material of non diabetic subjects selected for the same criteria were compared. No significant differences in hearing or stapedius reflex thresholds were found. Among half of the subjects there was a diabetic retinopathy. A comparison between those with and those without retinopathy did not reveal any significant difference. Even subjects with severe diabetic complications and almost life-long diabetes had normal hearing. Recent investigations on plasma-lipoids have suggested insulin prevents a premature ageing of hearing. No statistical data exist confirming a correlation between hearing impairment and diabetes.