Effects of the ketogenic diet on platelet counts and global coagulation tests in childhood epilepsy.

Purpose: Several antiseizure drugs (ASD), especially Valproic acid (VPA), influence platelet counts and coagulation parameters. The ketogenic diet (KD), established in drug-resistant epilepsy, is combined with ASDs. Bruising and prolonged bleeding times during KD have been described, but whether hemostatic changes result from the KD or from concomitant ASDs, remains unclear.

The ketogenic diet in infants--Advantages of early use.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the ketogenic diet (KD) in infants (< 1.5 years of age) compared with older children.

Methods: Patients with complete follow-up data of ≥ 3 months after initiation of the KD were analyzed retrospectively.

Efficacy and tolerability of the ketogenic diet in Dravet syndrome - Comparison with various standard antiepileptic drug regimen.

Unlabelled: There is strong evidence for the use of the ketogenic diet (KD) in Dravet syndrome (DS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate both effectiveness and tolerability in comparison with various antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

Methods: 32 children (19 males) with genetically confirmed DS treated at our center since 1999 were analyzed retrospectively.

Long-term outcome and tolerability of the ketogenic diet in drug-resistant childhood epilepsy--the Austrian experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy/tolerability of the ketogenic diet (KD) in paediatric drug-resistant epilepsies.

Methods: Data from children who were treated between 1999 and 2008 and had continuous follow-up of at least 6 months after initiation of the KD were analysed retrospectively. Response was defined as > or = 50% seizure reduction.

Type 1 diabetes and epilepsy: efficacy and safety of the ketogenic diet.

Diabetes type 1 seems to be more prevalent in epilepsy, and low-carbohydrate diets improve glycemic control in diabetes type 2, but data on the use of the classic ketogenic diet (KD) in epilepsy and diabetes are scarce. We present 15 months of follow-up of a 3 years and 6 months old girl with diabetes type 1 (on the KD), right-sided hemiparesis, and focal epilepsy due to a malformation of cortical development. Although epileptiform activity on electroencephalography (EEG) persisted (especially during sleep), clinically overt seizures have not been reported since the KD.

The outcome of childhood obesity management depends highly upon patient compliance.

Unlabelled: Over the last 20 years, obesity in childhood and adolescence has become a major public health concern due to dramatically increasing prevalence rates. We evaluated the outcome of 294 children (135 girls, 159 boys) aged 6-16 years (median 10.9 years) enrolled in a single centre outpatient obesity intervention programme consisting of periodical visits to the outpatient unit with regular medical and dietetic counselling aiming at a modification of dietary and activity patterns of patients and parents.