Long-term clinical outcomes and economic evaluation of the ketogenic diet versus care as usual in children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy.

Objective: To examine long-term retention rate, clinical outcomes, cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of the Ketogenic Diet (KD) compared with care as usual (CAU) in children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy from a societal perspective.

Methods: Participants were randomized into a KD or CAU group. Seizure frequency, quality adjusted life years (QALYs), side-effects, seizure severity, health care costs, production losses, patient and family costs were assessed at baseline and during 16-months of follow-up.

A systematic review of economic evaluations of treatments for patients with epilepsy.

The increasing number of treatment options and the high costs associated with epilepsy have fostered the development of economic evaluations in epilepsy. It is important to examine the availability and quality of these economic evaluations and to identify potential research gaps. As well as looking at both pharmacologic (antiepileptic drugs [AEDs]) and nonpharmacologic (e.

A prospective study on changes in blood levels of cholecystokinin-8 and leptin in patients with refractory epilepsy treated with the ketogenic diet.

Objective: To evaluate the changes in serum CCK-8 and leptin levels in patients with refractory epilepsy treated with the ketogenic diet (KD).

Methods: In this prospective study, patients aged between one and 40 years with refractory epilepsy were included. CCK-8 and leptin were measured in serum at baseline and after three and 12 months of treatment with the KD using an enzyme-linked Immunoabsorbant Assay.

Cognitive and behavioral impact of the ketogenic diet in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy: A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The ketogenic diet (KD) is increasingly used for the treatment of refractory epilepsy in childhood because of the beneficial effect on seizure reduction. The aim of the current study was to objectively assess cognition and aspects of behavior during the first 4months of a randomized controlled study in children and adolescents.

Methods: Participants from a tertiary epilepsy center were randomized to a KD group (intervention) or a care-as-usual (CAU) group (control).

An economic evaluation of the ketogenic diet versus care as usual in children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy: An interim analysis.

Objectives: To gain insight into the cost-effectiveness of the ketogenic (KD) diet compared with care as usual (CAU) in children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy, we conducted an economic evaluation from a societal perspective, alongside a randomized controlled trial.

Methods: Participants from a tertiary epilepsy center were randomized into KD (intervention) group or CAU (control) group. Seizure frequency, quality adjusted life years (QALYs), health care costs, production losses of parents and patient, and family costs were assessed at baseline and during a 4-month study period and compared between the intervention and control groups.

The MCT-ketogenic diet as a treatment option in refractory childhood epilepsy: A prospective study with 2-year follow-up.

The present study assessed the long-term (i.e., 24months) efficacy of the ketogenic diet (KD) as an add-on therapy in children with refractory epilepsy, with focus on seizure frequency, seizure severity, and tolerability.

Cost-effectiveness of the ketogenic diet and vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of children with intractable epilepsy.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to estimate the expected cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of the ketogenic diet (KD), vague nerve stimulation (VNS) and care as usual (CAU), using a decision analytic model with a 5-year time horizon.

Methods: A Markov decision analytical model was constructed to estimate the incremental costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and successfully treated patient (i.e.

Can an early 24-hour EEG predict the response to the ketogenic diet? A prospective study in 34 children and adults with refractory epilepsy treated with the ketogenic diet.

Purpose: We examined whether early EEG changes in a 24-h EEG at 6 weeks of treatment were related to the later clinical response to the ketogenic diet (KD) in a 6-month period of treatment.

Methods: We examined 34 patients with heterogeneous epilepsy syndromes (21 children, 13 adults) and found 9 clinical responders (≥50% seizure reduction); this is a responder rate of 26%. We visually counted the interictal epileptic discharge index (IED index) in % during 2h of wakefulness and in the first hour of sleep (method 1), and also globally reviewed EEG changes (method 2), while blinded to the effect of the KD.

The ketogenic diet as a treatment option in adults with chronic refractory epilepsy: efficacy and tolerability in clinical practice.

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that is used as a treatment for patients with difficult-to-control epilepsy. The present study assesses the efficacy and tolerability of the KD as an add-on therapy in adults with chronic refractory epilepsy. 15 adults were treated with the classical diet or MCT diet.

Research into the (Cost-) effectiveness of the ketogenic diet among children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy: design of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder, characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures which have a high impact on the individual as well as on society as a whole. In addition to the economic burden, epilepsy imposes a substantial burden on the patients and their surroundings. Patients with uncontrolled epilepsy depend heavily on informal care and on health care professionals.