Factors associated with seizure response in adults with epilepsy on a modified Atkins diet

Purpose: This study investigated factors associated with improved seizure control in adults with epilepsy following a modified Atkins diet (MAD).

Methods: Follow-up data collected from participants enrolled in a prospective study between March 2016 and November 2023 was analyzed. Demographic and clinical differences between diet responders and non-responders were evaluated. MAD response was defined as ≥ 50 % reduction in seizure frequency from baseline.

Results: MAD use led to clinical response in 48 % of study participants with 2-3 month follow-up and in 56 % of study participants with 6 month follow-up. No significant differences were found for gender, age at diet initiation, age at epilepsy diagnosis, or for number of current or past medications tried. However, a significant relationship emerged between epilepsy type and diet response at 6 months with a response of 100 % seen in adults with generalized epilepsy and a response of only 42 % in adults with focal epilepsy (p = 0.004). Those who responded to the diet showed non-significant increases in many of the measured lipid biomarkers. Levels of apolipoprotein-B and small low-density lipoprotein particles showed significant increases from baseline after 3 months in responders compared to non-responders (p = 0.004 and 0.049, respectively).

Conclusions: These findings support the continued use of MAD particularly for seizure management in adults with generalized epilepsy and highlight potential mechanisms of clinical response involving lipoprotein and energy metabolism.