KETOGENIC DIET IN CHILDHOOD DRUG RESISTANCE EPILEPSY

Background and Aim: The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet which has been effective in controlling seizures in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of classic ketogenic diet on the treatment of refractory epilepsy.Methods: 30 children with refractory epilepsy were enrolled into the study. The inclusion criteria were children with epilepsy aged between 2 to 15 years old who have been refractory to the treatment with two first-line anti-epileptic medications in a 6-month period. During 6 to 12 months follow-up, the efficacy of the regimen, the number and severity of seizures and complications of the diet were studied based on parents reports, electroencephalograms (EEG), clinical tests and anthropometric measurements.Results: The ketogenic diet was terminated in 2 patients with complete stopping of seizures, and was moderated in 7 out of 30 children with more than 90% decrease in the number of their seizures. 12 children with seizure reduction between 50% and 90% remained on the diet. 3 children due to poor adherence and 2 children due to renal stone formation were excluded from the study. 4 patients did not show any favorable response to the diet.Conclusion: The ketogenic diet is an effective treatment to control seizures in children with medically resistant epilepsy.

Keywords:

Refractory epilepsy , classic ketogenic diet , diet therapy