Ketogenic diet use in children with intractable epilepsy secondary to malformations of cortical development: A two- centre experience.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the ketogenic diet (KD) as a treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy secondary to malformations of cortical development.

METHODS:

A two-centre retrospective analysis of 45 paediatric patients with refractory epilepsy due to malformation of cortical development was carried out. Patients were divided into three groups based on malformation type: abnormal neural proliferation (Group 1); abnormal neural migration (Group 2) and abnormal post-migrational development (Group 3). The efficacy of the KD was assessed in terms of seizure frequency reduction. We identified the proportion of patients achieving > 50% seizure frequency reduction overall and in the three subgroups.

RESULTS:

The adherence to KD was variable. KD was pursued from a minimum of 4 months to a maximum of 96 months. 20 patients (44%) obtained a seizure reduction of > 50% and 2 patients became seizure free. >50% seizure reduction was most commonly achieved by patients in group 3 (64.7%) than in groups 2 (31.8%) and 1 (33.3%).

CONCLUSIONS:

The best response was observed in patients with malformations of post migrational development. Considering its tolerability, the use of KD should be considered in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy secondary to malformations of cortical development when surgery is not a viable option.

• Authors: Ludovica Pasca, Roberto H Caraballo, Valentina De Giorgis, J Gabriela Reyes, Joyce A Macasaet, Silvia Masnada, Marisa Armeno, Massimo Musicco, Anna Tagliabue, Pierangelo Veggiotti
• Journal: Seizure (Seizure) Vol. 57 Pg. 34-37 (Apr 2018) ISSN: 1532-2688 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 29554640 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2018 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Diet, Ketogenic
• Drug Resistant Epilepsy (diet therapy, etiology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Malformations of Cortical Development (complications, diet therapy)
• Retrospective Studies
• Seizures (diet therapy, etiology)
• Treatment Outcome