The impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus on hearing function in children: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is associated with neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy. However, its effect on hearing in children is not explicitly explored. This systematic review specifically focused on the hearing abilities of children with T1DM.

METHODS

PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus databases were searched for 20 years (January 2004-December 2024), following the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Two independent reviewers screened, selected, and extracted data. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Analytical Cross-Sectional and Case-Control Studies were utilized to assess the quality and conduct a risk of bias analysis on the eligible studies.

RESULTS

After screening 1784 studies, 12 met the inclusion criteria for the review on the impact of T1DM on hearing function in children. A total of 1143 children aged 4-18 years were analysed across these 12 studies. The findings were heterogeneous, with some studies reporting elevated pure tone thresholds (particularly at mid to high frequencies), reduced otoacoustic emission amplitudes, and delayed auditory brainstem response latencies, while others showed no significant auditory differences between T1DM and control groups. Further, longer disease duration (more than 5 years), poor glycaemic control, and diabetes induced micro-vascular changes were associated with increased auditory deficits in several studies.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review shows a potential association between T1DM and hearing impairment and highlights the importance of risk-based audiological monitoring in paediatric diabetic populations. While the evidence does not support universal screening, targeted evaluations for high-risk individuals (e.g., those with poor glycaemic control or longer disease duration) may enable earlier detection and intervention. Regular monitoring can help in the early detection of hearing loss so that timely support can be provided, leading to better language skills, school performance, and overall quality of life for children.

REGISTRATION: Registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024625363).