created: 29.09.2004
last modified: 29.09.2004
According to a recent study from the U.S, deafness now joins the list of side effects of diabetes, like the serious phenomena of nephropathy (kidney disease), the diabetic foot disease and heart and vascular diseases,.
Scientists demand auditory tests
The results of the study come from the Department of Veterans Affairs National Centre for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) in Portland, Oregon. Nancy Vaughan and Stephen Fausti, both directing the research program, recently presented their results at the winter meeting of the society for medical ear, throat and nose science in Daytona Beach. They came to the conclusion, that diabetes patients below the age of 60 show a higher level of loss of the auditory sense than non-diabetics. Using their opportunity at the meeting, they clearly promoted the inclusion of auditory tests in the series of regular preventative examinations for diabetics. "Diabetics have to check the function of their kidneys and their optical senses regularly every year. We recommend including hearing tests." says Vaughan.
Difference especially for those under 60
According to the scientist, the results of their study demonstrate the urgency of such a test. In Portland 700 people of the age group between 25 and 85 have been tested in respect of their auditory sense so far. Participants were diabetics as well as non-diabetics. For the results, the duration of the disease, the age, eventual noise pollution and certain blood values were looked at. While there was hardly any difference between diabetics and non-diabetics in the group of elderly participants, the age group under 60 showed that there were much more deaf or almost deaf among the diabetics.
Reason is unclear
Vaughan and Fausti are planning to extend their studies to find out, whether their suspicion regarding the cause for the increased deafness rate among diabetics can be confirmed.
The result of the study has also raised attention in other countries. Eleanor Kennedy for example, Research Manager of the London organisation Diabetes UK, considers the results so far highly interesting: "We need to do more research, to be able to secure a definite connection between diabetes and the loss of the auditory sense."
