Advantages of ketogenic diet in epilepsy

Many infancy-onset epilepsies have poor prognosis for seizure control and neurodevelopmental outcome.

Ketogenic diets can improve seizures in children older than 2 years and adults who are unresponsive to antiseizure medicines.

In a new study the authors aimed to establish the efficacy of a classic ketogenic diet at reducing seizure frequency compared with further antiseizure medicine in infants with drug-resistant epilepsy.

In this phase 4 trial, a ketogenic diet did not differ in efficacy and tolerability to a further antiseizure

medication, and it appears to be safe to use in infants with drug-resistant epilepsy.

A ketogenic diet could be a treatment option in infants whose seizures continue despite previously trying two antiseizure medications.

Source: Lancet Neurol 2023;22: 1113–24