Abstract
Background: The Type II diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by hyperglycemia, as a result of damaged beta cell function, along with increase insulin resistance, either at receptor or at postreceptor levels. Neuropathies complications are the most common in diabetes, that’s may lead to delayed evoked potentials in the central pathways.

Aims and Objective: This study was undertaken to know the hearing status of the Type II diabetic patients and to delay development of its related complication like central neuropathy.

Materials and Methods: This study evaluates central neuropathy by brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) in Type II DM patients.

Results: We observed significant differences in BERA latencies between diabetic patients and healthy controls. There was significantly delayed Wave II, IV latency in left ear (at 80 dB) and Wave II latency in left ear, as well as Wave IV latency in right ear (at 90 dB) as compared to control. Diabetics patients with and without peripheral neuropathy there were absolute delayed latencies of Wave I, III, and V (80 dB). With relation to blood glucose, a significant difference in absolute latencies of Wave II (right ear at 90 dB), Wave IV (in right ear at 90 dB), Wave V (left ear at 80 dB), and interpeak latencies I-V (in right ear at 90 band).

Conclusion: This study suggests that BERA is a simple, non-invasive procedure to detect early impairment of acoustic nerve, and central nervous system pathways, even in the absence o f specific symptoms, if BERA is carried out in diabetic patients, involvement of central neuronal axis can be detected earlier.

Key words: Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry; Type II Diabetes Mellitus; Peripheral Neuropathy; Blood Glucose