Effects of ketogenic diet on the clinical and electroencephalographic features of children with drug therapy-resistant epilepsy

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) on the clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) features of children with drug therapy-resistant epilepsy. A total of 31 children with drug therapy-resistant epilepsy were selected, including 19 males and 12 females. The youngest was 7 months old and the oldest was 7 years old. Clinical seizures in the children prior to and 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after the initiation of the KD were compared and the clinical effect of the KD was evaluated. The ratio of fat to carbohydrate + protein in the KD was 4:1. Following the initiation of the KD treatment, the original antiepileptic drugs were not changed. The changes in occipital region background rhythm and interictal spike wave discharge index (SI) were evaluated prior to and 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after the initiation of the KD. The efficacy had an upward trend over time, with a total efficacy rate of 51.61% 1 week later, 67.74% 1 month later and 70.97% 3 months later. Doose syndrome showed the greatest response to KD, with a 100% efficacy rate. However, since there were only two cases in the study, its efficacy remains to be assessed. Infantile spasm also showed a good response to KD; 9 of the 16 patients were seizure free and the total efficacy rate was 81.25%. As the length of the KD treatment was increased, the background rhythms of the children underwent significant changes and the SI was significantly reduced. KD not only demonstrated good clinical efficacy, but also significantly reduced the frequency of interictal epileptic discharges and improved the EEG background rhythm.