The impact of the ketogenic diet on arterial morphology and endothelial function in children and young adults with epilepsy: a case-control study.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The present study aimed to assess the impact of the ketogenic diet on arterial morphology and endothelial function of the big vessels of the neck and on cardiac diastolic function, in a cohort of epileptic children and young adults treated with the ketogenic diet.

METHODS:

Patients were recruited based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) patients who were or had been on the ketogenic diet for a time period of at least six months. Each patient underwent measurement of carotid intima media thickness, carotid artery stiffness, echocardiography, and diastolic function assessment. Patients with drug resistant epilepsy, matched for number, age and sex and never treated with ketogenic diet, were recruited as controls.

RESULTS:

The population study was composed by 43 epilepsy patients (23 males), aged between 19 months and 31 years (mean 11 years). Twenty-three patients were or had been treated with ketogenic diet, and 20 had never been on it (control group). Subjects treated with the ketogenic diet had higher arterial stiffness parameters, including AIx and β-index and higher serum levels of cholesterol or triglycerides compared to those who had never been on the diet (control group) (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Arterial stiffness is increased in children and young adults treated with the ketogenic diet, before the increase of the intima media thickness. This supports that arterial stiffness is an early marker of vascular damage.

• Authors: Giangennaro Coppola, Francesco Natale, Annarita Torino, Rosanna Capasso, Alfredo D'Aniello, Erica Pironti, Elena Santoro, Raffaele Calabrò, Alberto Verrotti
• Journal: Seizure (Seizure) Vol. 23 Issue 4 Pg. 260-5 (Apr 2014) ISSN: 1532-2688 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24380692 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Triglycerides
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Blood Pressure (drug effects, physiology)
• Carotid Arteries (diagnostic imaging, drug effects)
• Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Cohort Studies
• Diet, Ketogenic (adverse effects)
• Echocardiography
• Epilepsy (diet therapy, drug therapy, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Triglycerides (blood)
• Tunica Intima (drug effects, pathology)
• Vascular Stiffness (physiology)
• Young Adult