Efficacy of the ketogenic diet in Chinese adults versus children with drug-resistant epilepsy: A pilot study.

Objective: We compared the efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet (KD) therapy as a treatment for Chinese adults versus children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Methods: The classic KD was initiated in 19 adults and 29 children with drug-resistant epilepsy. The KD ratio and the dosage of antiseizure medication (ASM) were delicately modulated by the ketogenic team.

Results: At 12 months after diet initiation, 11 adults (8 on a KD ratio of 3:1 and 3 on a ratio of 2:1) and 20 children (9 on a ketogenic diet ratio of 3:1 and 11 on a ratio of 2:1) remained on the diet. The retention rate for adult KD therapy recipients was 79.0% at 6 months and 57.9% at 12 months after diet initiation, which was not significantly different from the retention rate for children (82.8% at 6 months and 68.9% at 12 months; P > 0.05). The efficacy rate of KD therapy (seizure freedom or ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency) did not significantly differ between adults (63.2%) and children (75.8%, P = 0.517). Alleviation of seizure severity was observed in 68.4% of adults and 63.6% of children who were not seizure free on KD therapy. Antiseizure medication was reduced in 34 out of all 48 individuals at the final follow-up.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that KD therapy is a safe and effective treatment for Chinese adults as well as children with drug-resistant epilepsy.