Hearing loss in diabetes patients a ‘hidden epidemic’

Researchers have called for hearing tests to become a standard part of diabetes care and for hearing loss to be recognised as a significant complication of the condition.

Dr Mehwish Nisar from UQ’s School of Public Health said most people were unaware there was even a connection between hearing loss and diabetes.

“One in 4 adults with diabetes – or about 130 million people worldwide – are living with serious hearing loss,’’ Dr Nisar said.

“Diabetes is the world's fastest growing chronic disease, affecting over half a billion people, and people with diabetes are more than twice as likely to experience serious hearing loss.

“This isn't a minor inconvenience; hearing loss in people with diabetes often strikes working-age adults in their 40s and 50s, affecting daily conversations, fuelling isolation and creating significant communication challenges.

“This is a hidden epidemic, and we need to sound the alarm and add a simple hearing test to every diabetes check-up.’’

Researchers reviewed 29 studies involving more than 17,000 people worldwide, examining hearing loss in adults mostly with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

They found retinopathy (damage to the retina), nephropathy (kidney damage), and neuropathy (nerve damage) were recognised and routinely monitored complications.

However, hearing impairment was found to be a “significant, yet under-recognised, complication’’.

Dr Nisar said identifying hearing loss early allowed for timely hearing aid support to reduce isolation and support communication, as well as better glucose management to slow further deterioration.

“It is widely known that diabetes affects the eyes, kidneys, and nerves but almost no one knows it can also cause serious hearing loss,’’ Dr Nisar said.

“This research exposes the hidden sensory crisis affecting millions of people.

“Despite clear links, hearing loss is not yet systematically integrated into diabetes care protocols.

“Raising awareness of this hidden complication could help identify hearing problems earlier and improve quality of life for millions of people.’’

Dr Nisar said hearing loss progressed gradually, and patients were often unaware of a problem until it was more advanced.

“Crucially, clinically significant hearing loss is detectable through straightforward, low-cost audiometric screening, presenting a vital opportunity for early diagnosis and intervention,’’ she said.

“The more than 2-fold increased risk identified in this review supports the integration of routine audiometric screening into standard diabetes care, with particular urgency for younger adults.

“The damage may begin much earlier than people think and even people who have lived with diabetes for less than 10 years are more than twice as likely to develop significant hearing loss compared with those without diabetes.

“This is not just a concern for people with long-standing diabetes.

“Waiting for advanced complications before checking hearing is waiting too long.’’
 

Read the research in Diabetes Metabolism Research and Reviews.