Assessing the Correlation between Hearing Loss and Diabetic Retinopathy Severity in Patients at A Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan

Diabetes frequently results in sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), although little is known about its root causes and risk factors. Objectives: To evaluate the association between the severity of diabetic retinopathy and sensorineural hearing loss in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Data were collected from 150 patients with type 2 diabetes between June and August 2024. Participants were recruited via consecutive sampling. Audiological assessments were conducted using pure-tone audiometry, and the severity of diabetic retinopathy was graded by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study scale. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test to assess the association between diabetic retinopathy severity and sensorineural hearing loss. Results: 33.3% of participants had normal hearing, while 37.3% had mild sensorineural hearing loss, 20% had moderate sensorineural hearing loss, and 9.3% had severe sensorineural hearing loss. Hypertension prevalence increased with DR severity (p=0.002), and a longer duration of diabetes was associated with more severe retinopathy (p<0.001). Significant differences were found in albumin, creatinine, and HbA1C levels (p<0.05), indicating worsening metabolic control with disease progression. sensorineural hearing loss severity showed a significant correlation with retinopathy stages (χ²=25.47, p<0.001), with the highest prevalence of severe sensorineural hearing loss in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Conclusions: It was concluded that this study demonstrates a significant association between diabetic retinopathy severity and sensorineural hearing loss, with increased sensorineural hearing loss severity in more advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy.