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Type 2 Diabetes and Hearing Impairment

  • Diabetes Epidemiology (NM Maruthur, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Hearing impairment (HI) and type 2 diabetes are both highly prevalent disabling conditions. Type 2 diabetes has been modestly associated with a higher likelihood of HI in many, but not all, population-based studies, with stronger associations found in studies that included younger age groups. Pathophysiologic studies suggest that persons with diabetes are predisposed to HI in the higher frequencies. Proposed mechanisms underlying the association between diabetes and HI include the combined contributions of hyperglycemia and oxidative stress to cochlear microangiopathy and auditory neuropathy. In this review, we highlight recent population-based studies of type 2 diabetes and HI and examine evidence for diabetes-induced pathophysiologic changes that may result in damage to the auditory system.

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Abbreviations

PTA:

Pure-tone average

HI:

Hearing impairment

kHz:

Kilohertz

dB:

Decibels, expressed as hearing level

ABR:

Auditory brainstem response

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Mail Stop 43, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA

    Elizabeth Purchase Helzner

  2. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Kevin J. Contrera

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  1. Elizabeth Purchase Helzner
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Correspondence to Elizabeth Purchase Helzner.

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Elizabeth Purchase Helzner and Kevin Contrera declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Diabetes Epidemiology

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Helzner, E.P., Contrera, K.J. Type 2 Diabetes and Hearing Impairment. Curr Diab Rep 16, 3 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-015-0696-0

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