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Scientific Oral Presentation

Otology/Neurotology

Hearing Loss in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Saturday, October 17, 2026
9:48 AM - 9:54 AM PT
Location: West Exhibit Hall A, Learning Zone 1

    Presenting Author(s)

  • AB

    Alaina D. Baggett, BS

    Medical Student
    UAMS
    Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • KN

    Kenny Nguyen, MD, MEd

    ENT Clinical Research Fellow
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Robert A. Saadi, MD

    Otology and Neurotology Physician
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Little Rock, AR, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Robert A. Saadi, MD

    Otology and Neurotology Physician
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Little Rock, AR, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • GR

    Gresham T. Richter, MD

    Attending Physician
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Introduction: Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) microvascular complications are well described but the effect on the auditory system remains understudied. This study aims to evaluate the association between T2DM and hearing loss and to determine if diabetic retinopathy modifies risk.

Methods: Retrospective cohort database study using TriNetX. Primary analysis included patients 30 to 75 years old divided into two cohorts. Cohort 1: patients with T2DM and cohort 2: non-diabetic control. Cohorts were propensity score matched based on age at index.
Secondary analysis of patients of any age with T2DM, compared by presence (cohort 3) or absence (cohort 4) of diabetic retinopathy. Cohorts were propensity score matched for age at index, gender, and race. Hearing loss occurring after index were compared between groups (cohort 1 vs 2, cohort 3 vs 4). Odds-ratios with 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95%CI) were calculated for the risk of complications.

Results: Primary analysis had 6,023,897 patients in T2DM cohort (1) and 65,193,142 patients in non-diabetic cohort (2). Cohort 1 was 50% male compared to 44% in cohort 2 and had a higher mean age at diagnosis (53 vs 42). Cohort 1 was 2.572 (95%CI 2.56-2.598) times more likely to develop hearing loss compared with cohort 2, with an absolute risk of 5.29% vs 2.12% respectively (RD 4.44%, 95% CI 4.145-4.743, p < 0.0001).
Secondary analysis had 42,161 patients with T2DM and diabetic retinopathy (cohort 3) and 9,850,820 patients with T2DM without retinopathy (cohort 4) were identified. T2DM patients with diabetic retinopathy (cohort 3) were 1.7 (95%CI 1.6-1.76) times more likely to develop hearing loss than T2DM patients without retinopathy (cohort 4), with an absolute risk of 11.5% and 7.1%, respectively (RD 3.17%, 95% CI 3.15-3.19, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: In our study, type II diabetes mellitus was associated with an increased risk of hearing loss, especially among patients with diabetic retinopathy which suggests a microvascular contribution involving the stria vascularis. Diabetic retinopathy may be an independent risk factor for SNHL and prompt referral for hearing evaluation.