Functional analysis of auditory pathway in type 2 diabetes by brainstem auditory evoked response-a pilot study

Background: Diabetic neuropathy is one of the major complications reported widely in type 2 diabetes. It affects all the sensory, autonomic and motor systems including auditory pathway. Objectives: Present study is focused on functional analysis of auditory pathway by Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) and with Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) in type 2 diabetes. To compare the same in healthy individuals with euglycaemia. Materials and methods: This is a cross sectional study, ten type 2 diabetic subjects were recruited as test group, age and sex matched ten healthy subjects were selected as control group. Inter wave peak latencies with BAER and pure tone averages with PTA for both the ears were recorded in test and control groups. Unpaired “t” test was carried out to compare the data, p value <0.05 is considered as significant. Results: Right ear stimulus threshold in controls and test groups are 14.9 ± 2.04 & 30.9 ± 11.43 (p=0.01) respectively and for left ear, 18.9 ± 7.48 & 30.6 ± 4.0 (p=0.01) respectively. Wave I-III inter peak latencies of BAER for right ear in control and test groups are 1.79 ± 0.15 & 2.20 ± 0.30 (p=0.02) respectively and for left ear, 1.79 ± 0.12 & 2.25 ± 0.40 (p=0.04) respectively. Conclusion: The present study concludes that in type 2 diabetes inter wave peak latencies and pure tone averages were higher when compared with controls.