TITLE:
Association between Diabetes Mellitus and Sensorineural Hearing Loss: An Exposure-Based Cross-Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
MD Aqiv Javed
KEYWORDS:
Diabetes Mellitus, Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Hearing Impairment, Pure-Tone Audiometry, HbA1c, Exposure-Based Cross-Sectional Study
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.15 No.4,
July
14,
2026
ABSTRACT: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with microvascular and neuropathic complications, and emerging evidence suggests that auditory dysfunction may be one of its under-recognised consequences. This exposure-based cross-sectional study investigated the association between diabetes mellitus and sensorineural hearing loss by comparing auditory function in diabetic patients and age- and sex-frequency-matched non-diabetic comparison participants. A total of 120 participants were included, comprising 60 diabetic patients and 60 non-diabetic participants. Clinical information, diabetes-related variables, and pure-tone audiometric findings were assessed. Sensorineural hearing loss was more prevalent among diabetic patients than non-diabetic participants on unadjusted analysis (43.3% versus 8.3%). Multivariable logistic regression showed that diabetes status remained independently associated with sensorineural hearing loss after adjustment for controlled hypertension and age (adjusted odds ratio = 11.61, 95% confidence interval: 3.78 - 35.63, p