gms | German Medical Science

77th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

24.05. - 28.05.2006, Mannheim

Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) examinations in diabetic patients

Meeting Abstract

  • G. Józsf Kiss - HNO Klinik, Szeged, Ungarn
  • corresponding author Ferenc Tóth - HNO Klinik, Szeged, Ungarn
  • Tamás T. Várkonyi - 1st Department of Medicine, Szeged, Ungarn
  • László Rovó - HNO Klinik, Szeged, Ungarn
  • Csaba Lengyel - 1st Department of Medicine, Szeged, Ungarn
  • József Jóri - HNO Klinik, Szeged, Ungarn

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie. 77. Jahresversammlung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie e.V.. Mannheim, 24.-28.05.2006. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2006. Doc06hnod026

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/hnod2006/06hnod026.shtml

Published: April 24, 2006

© 2006 Kiss et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

We performed BAEP examinations in patients with long-standing type-1 diabetes mellitus (DM). 12 middle-aged, non-obese, insulin-treated patients with DM of long duration were included. Cardiovascular reflex tests were applied for assessment of autonomic neuropathy. Peripheral sensory nerve function was studied with a Neurometer (Neurotron Inc., Baltimore), using constant current sine wave transcutaneous stimulation. Our aim was to compare the BAEP results of this patient group with controls and to look for the possible correlation between the alteration of the auditory brainstem function and the cardiovascular autonomic and the peripheral sensory neuropathy.

Analysis of the latencies (wave I, II, III and IV/V) and the inter-peak latencies (IPL I-III: and I-IV/V) of BAEP revealed a significant difference between diabetics and healthy controls at 16 Hz stimulus rate. The amplitudes of wave I, II, III and IV/V were definitely lower in comparison with healthy controls. These differencies were more definite at high frequency stimulation (64 Hz). A positive correlation was observed between the overall autonomic score (AN) and the latencies (wave III and V) and IPL-s (I-III, I-V). Evaluation of the peripheral sensory nerve function revealed positive association current perception thresholds (CPT at 2 kHz and 250 Hz) and wave latency values (wave III and V).

Several parameters of autonomic and sensory neuropathy consequently worsen together with abnormalities of brainstem function. Our data support the hypothesis that diabetic neuropathy might be manifested in certain dysfunctions of the central auditory pathways.