Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a new predictive and prognostic factor at the hearing loss of diabetic patients.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a systemic inflammatory disease. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is seen more frequently in diabetic patients and it is believed that vascular complications of DM may be the cause of SNHL via inflammation. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was defined as a novel-potential marker to determine inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relationship between NLR levels and SNHL in diabetic patients using high-frequency audiometry (8–16 kHz) for the first time. The study included 58 patients diagnosed with DM. The control group was composed of 45 age–sex–BMI–matched healthy subjects. An automated blood cell counter was used for NLR measurements. The hearing assessments of the patients were carried out by Interacoustics Clinical Audiometer AC 40 device. The mean NLR values of the patients were significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.015). Speech recognition threshold values were higher and the speech discrimination values were lower in patients (p = 0.002, p < 0.001), respectively. Pure tone average of the patients at 500, 1,000, 2,000 Hz frequencies was divided into two groups (group 1 >25 dB and group 2 <25 dB). NLR levels of the diabetic patients with >25 dB were higher than the other diabetics (p = 0.007). In conclusion, while diabetic patients are evaluating, audiologic assessments of these patients should be performed because they are at more risk of SNHL and NLR may be considered as a predictive and prognostic marker of hearing loss or its beginning in these patients as a useful and reliable marker without any cost.