Ketogenic diet effects on neurobehavioral development of children with intractable epilepsy: A prospective study

Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of a ketogenic diet (KD) on neurobehavioral development when used to treat children with intractable epilepsy, confirming the efficacy of the KD, as well as the correlation between early electroencephalography (EEG) changes in the early stage with treatment efficacy.

Methods: We enrolled 42 children who were starting treatment for intractable epilepsy with the classic KD protocol. The total development quotient as well as the development quotients for adaptability, gross motor movements, fine motor movements, language, and individual-social interaction on the Gesell developmental scales were assessed before and after 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of KD treatment. The efficacy assessment was based on changes in seizure frequency after KD as recorded by the parents. We conducted 24-h video-EEG before and after 1 month of KD treatment.

Results: Developmental quotients of five energy regions in the Gesell developmental scales assessment were used to compare adaptability (P1=0.000), gross motor movements (P2=0.010), and fine motor movements (P3=0.000); the results showed significant differences. After KD treatment at different time points, 69.0%, 54.8%, 40.5%, and 33.3% patients, respectively, achieved a ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency. The reduction of epileptiform discharges in the awake state after 1 month of KD treatment correlated with the efficacy after 3 months of KD treatment.

Conclusions: Ketogenic diet treatment tends to be associated with improved neurobehavioral development, and more significant improvement can be obtained with prolonged treatment. The KD is safe and effective in treating children with intractable epilepsy. Early EEG changes correlate with clinical efficacy, to a certain degree.