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Video

Otology/Neurotology

(A853) Prevalence, Classification, and Severity of Hearing Loss in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Monday, October 13, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Location: OTO EXPO, Posters

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Cory Hyun-su Kim, BS

    Research Fellow
    Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
    Charleston, South Carolina, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • KL

    Katherine L. Lauritsen, BS, MBS

    Research Fellow/Medical Student
    Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School/Indiana University School of Medicine/
    Kearny, New Jersey, United States

  • SN

    Shaun A. Nguyen, MD

    Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), United States

  • Ted A. Meyer, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
    Charleston, South Carolina, United States

  • EC

    Evan C. Cumpston, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Indiana University School of Medicine
    Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

  • Jonathan Y. Ting, MD

    Chair, Department of Otolaryngology
    Indiana University School of Medicine
    Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Robert F. Labadie, MD, PhD

    Chair
    Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
    Charleston, SC, United States

Disclosure(s):
Cory Hyun-su Kim, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Katherine L. Lauritsen, BS, MBS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Ted A. Meyer, MD, PhD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Evan C. Cumpston, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Jonathan Y. Ting, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: Hearing loss is a prevalent condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Studies suggest a potential relationship between hearing loss and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As the global burden of T2DM and hearing loss increases, understanding the prevalence of hearing impairment in this population is crucial for guiding clinical care and public health strategies.

Methods: A systematic review of CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases was conducted per PRISMA guidelines to identify studies evaluating T2DM and hearing loss. Primary outcomes included continuous measures (mean), proportions (%), proportional difference (∆), and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: A total of 41 studies with 88,425 patients with T2DM and 21,556 controls were included. The mean ages of the T2DM and control groups were 53.7 (range: 21–92) and 52.0 (range: 21–88), respectively, with males comprising 48.8% and 46.9% of the groups. Mean T2DM duration was 9.1 years (95% CI: 8.1–10.1), and mean HbA1c was 8.4% (95% CI: 8.1–8.6) compared to 4.8% (95% CI: 3.9–5.7) in controls.

Patients with T2DM had significantly higher prevalence and relative risk of hearing loss compared to controls (53.0% vs. 25.3%; ∆ = 27.7%, p< 0.0001; RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1–4.8). Among T2DM patients, 5.0% had conductive, 46.2% sensorineural, and 10.4% mixed hearing loss. Following WHO criteria, patients with T2DM exhibited 22.1% mild (26–40 dB), 25.5% moderate (41–60 dB), 8.5% severe (61–80 dB), and 1.7% profound (>80 dB) hearing loss, all significantly higher than controls (p < 0.0001). Laterality data showed 15.0% unilateral and 29.6% bilateral hearing loss, both significantly higher than controls (p=0.008, p< 0.0001).

Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides precise estimates of the prevalence and relative risk of hearing loss in patients with T2DM, including details on the classification, severity, and laterality. The significantly increased risk highlights the importance of incorporating hearing assessments and management into routine care for patients with T2DM.