ABSTRACT
Forty-five subjects with a rising, progressively improving (RPI) audiometric pattern were considered for a 5-hour oral-glucose tolerance test. Results revealed that 2 nondiabetic subjects (4%) had a plasma glucose nadir of 49 mg/dl or lower and 7 nondiabetic subjects had a nadir between 50 and 57 mg/dl. A total of 21% of 42 subjects with data indicated abnormally low readings. An additional 7 subjects were found to be diabetic; 5 subjects had impaired glucose tolerance, and 9 other subjects had nondiagnostic glucose intolerance, totalling 47% of 45 subjects in the study with abnormally elevated plasma glucose levels. Therefore a total of approximately 68% of all subjects in our study indicated metabolic dysfunction based specifically on a RPI pattern.
Subject(s)
Audiometry, Pure-Tone , Audiometry , Blood Glucose/analysis , Diabetes Mellitus/physiopathology , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/etiology , Hypoglycemia/physiopathology , Adult , Aged , Diabetes Mellitus/blood , Female , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/blood , Humans , Hypoglycemia/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Speech Discrimination TestsABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not a rising, progressively improving (RPI) sensorineural hearing loss from lower toward higher frequencies might be related to or serve as an indicator or predictor of diabetes. Forty-five subjects between the ages of 21 and 79, demonstrating a RPI audiometric pattern, were considered for a 5-hour oral glucose tolerance test. Based on the National Diabetes Data Group standard, results showed that diabetes mellitus appeared in seven subjects; five subjects had impaired glucose tolerance; and nine subjects had mild but nondiagnostic glucose intolerance. Relatively normal glucose values were demonstrated by 53% of subjects. There may be some value in an RPI audiometric pattern as an indicator or early detection sign for diabetes, but further research is necessary before such conclusions can be drawn.