Peer-reviewed article
Safety and Effectiveness of the Prolonged Treatment of Children with a Ketogenic Diet
Jana Ruiz Herrero, Elvira Cañedo Villarroya, Juan José García Peñas, Beatriz García Alcolea, Begoña Gómez Fernández et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined the long-term safety and effectiveness of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy in 26 children followed for up to several years. About 60-75% of children experienced major reductions in seizures, and over half experienced side effects, most commonly digestive issues and metabolic changes. The diet significantly affected height after 2 years, though the authors conclude it remains a safe treatment overall.
Key points
- 60-75% of children experienced seizure reduction of over 90% at each assessment
- At least 50% of children experienced side effects, with digestive issues, lipid metabolism changes, and hypercalciuria being most common
- The ketogenic diet significantly affected height after 2 years of treatment
- Side effects were generally mild despite their frequency
- Children on the diet showed improved cognitive state alongside seizure reduction
Limitations
This is a small observational study of only 26 children with no comparison group or randomisation, so causal claims about effectiveness and side effects cannot be firmly established. The study cannot explain the mechanisms behind growth retardation or identify which children are most at risk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The ketogenic diet (KD) is an effective treatment against drug-resistant epilepsy in children. The KD is a diet rich in fats that produces anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects that reduces seizures and improves the cognitive state. Nevertheless, it can produce side effects that sometimes can be serious. Further, the effect on growth is quite controversial when used for an extended period of time. The aim of this paper was to assess the effectiveness, side effects, and repercussions in the development of children who have been treated with a KD for more than 2 years. METHODS: Observational descriptive study of 26 pediatric patients on a KD, with data collection at baseline, at 3, 6, and 12 months, and then once a year. Number of seizures, type of seizures, anti-seizure drugs, anthropometry, side effects, and alterations in laboratory assessment were monitored. RESULTS: In every assessment, about 60%-75% of the patients experienced a reduction in number of seizures of over 90%, and at least 50% experienced side effects, of which digestive issues, alteration in the lipid metabolism, and hypercalciuria were the most common. The KD significantly affected height after 2 years of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The KD is an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy. Its side effects, although common, are very mild; therefore, this constitutes a very safe treatment for children of all ages. More studies are needed to identify and prevent potential causes of growth retardation in children on the KD.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Prolonged ketogenic diet treatment (high fat diet producing anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects)
- Population
- 26 pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, followed for over 2 years
Key finding
60-75% of patients experienced seizure reduction of over 90% at every assessment