A familial case of insulin dependent or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus associated with hearing loss.

Aggregation of diabetes and hearing loss in a family is observed in some hereditary disease. All members of the present family are affected with sensory hearing loss and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes types observed were insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in the proposita and the sister, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in the brother, and impaired glucose tolerance in the mother. The combination of hearing loss and diabetes and the concordant expression of IDDM or NIDDM in the siblings have not hitherto been described in any hereditary syndrome. This family may exhibit a new hereditary syndrome which is characterized by diabetes and hearing loss.