A Comparative Study of Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry in Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy and Retinopathy

ABSTRACT

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) causes pathophysiological changes at multiple organ system. With evoked potential techniques, the brain stem auditory response represents a simple procedure to detect both acoustic nerve and central nervous system pathway damage. Aim: To find the evidence of neuropathy and retinopathy in diabetes patients by analyzing brainstem audiometry electric response obtained by auditory evoked potentials. Methods: The study was carried out on 28 diabetic patients both insulin requiring and oral hypoglycemic agents. Patients were divided into 2 groups, with neurological disorder and without neurological disorder. Results: 14 patients were male (Mean age 45 yrs) and 14 female (Mean age 41.2 yrs). The duration of illness since diagnosis, ranged from 5 years – 20 years. There was no significant change in nephropathy whereas in patients without retinopathy the amplitude and interpeak latency in wave III and V showed significant change. Conclusion: BERA is a simple, non-invasive procedure to detect early impairment of acoustic nerve, and CNS pathways, even in the absence of specific symptoms. This study suggests that if BERA is carried out in diabetic patients; involvement of central neuronal axis can be detected earlier.