Association between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and hearing threshold elevation in Saudi adults with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study

IF 1.4 Q4 ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM

Diabetes epidemiology and management Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1016/j.deman.2025.100281

Hind Maher Alenzi , Raghad Abdullah Alsagri , Manal Alfakhri , Safa Alqudah , Margaret Zuriekat , Manal Alshareef , Aseel Hamad Alkhamees

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Abstract

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been associated with sensorineural hearing loss through microvascular and neural pathways. Although T2DM prevalence is high in Saudi Arabia, limited research has examined the relationship between glycemic control and auditory function in this population.

Objective

To investigate the association between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and hearing threshold levels (HTL) in Saudi adults with T2DM.

Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed medical records of 41 Saudi adults with T2DM (aged 20–57 years, 27 males, 14 females) who underwent pure tone audiometry and HbA1c testing at Royal Commission Medical Center, Yanbu, between 2021–2024. Linear regression analyses examined associations between HbA1c and HTL across low-frequency (0.25–2 kHz) and high-frequency (4–8 kHz) ranges.

Results

Mean participant age was 49.1 ± 7.8 years, with mean HbA1c of 6.9 ± 1.2 %. Linear regression revealed significant positive associations between HbA1c and HTL in both low-frequency (β = 0.93, 95 % CI: 2.30–2.98, p < 0.001) and high-frequency ranges (β = 0.91, 95 % CI: 4.05–5.46, p < 0.001). Age was also significantly associated with HTL in both frequency ranges (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Elevated HbA1c levels are significantly associated with increased hearing thresholds in Saudi adults with T2DM, suggesting that poor glycemic control may contribute to auditory dysfunction. These findings support incorporating routine audiological assessments into diabetes care protocols.

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沙特成年2型糖尿病患者糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）水平与听力阈值升高之间的关系：一项横断面研究

背景2型糖尿病（T2DM）通过微血管和神经通路与感音神经性听力损失相关。尽管沙特阿拉伯的2型糖尿病患病率很高，但对该人群血糖控制与听觉功能之间关系的研究有限。目的探讨沙特成年T2DM患者糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）水平与听力阈值水平（HTL）的关系。方法本回顾性横断面研究分析了41例沙特成年T2DM患者（年龄20-57岁，男性27例，女性14例）的医疗记录，这些患者于2021-2024年间在延布皇家委员会医学中心接受了纯音听力测定和HbA1c检测。线性回归分析检验了HbA1c和HTL在低频（0.25-2 kHz）和高频（4-8 kHz）范围内的相关性。结果参与者平均年龄为49.1±7.8岁，平均HbA1c为6.9±1.2%。线性回归显示HbA1c和HTL在低频范围（β = 0.93, 95% CI: 2.30-2.98, p < 0.001）和高频范围（β = 0.91, 95% CI: 4.05-5.46, p < 0.001）均呈显著正相关。在两个频率范围内，年龄也与HTL显著相关（p < 0.001）。结论沙特成年T2DM患者HbA1c水平升高与听力阈值升高显著相关，提示血糖控制不良可能导致听力功能障碍。这些发现支持将常规听力学评估纳入糖尿病护理方案。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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