The Efficacy and Safety of Ketogenic Diets in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in Children and Adolescents: a Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Purpose of Review Drug-resistant epilepsy represents around one-quarter of epilepsies worldwide. Although ketogenic diets (KD) have been used for refractory epilepsy since 1921, the past 15 years have witnessed an explosion of KD use in the management of epilepsy. We aimed to review evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy and safety of KD in drug-resistant epilepsy in children and adolescents. Recent Findings A literature search was performed in the Pubmed, Cohrane, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases. Predefined criteria were implemented regarding data extraction and study quality. Data were extracted from 14 RCTs in 1114 children and adolescents aged from 6 months to 18 years. Primary outcome was seizure reduction after the intervention. In 6 out of the 14 studies, there was a statistical significant seizure reduction by > 50% in the KD-treated group compared with the control group over a follow-up of 3-4 months. Secondary outcomes were adverse events, seizure severity, quality of life, and behavior. Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most frequent adverse events. Serious adverse events were rare. Summary We conclude that the KD is an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy in children and adolescents. Accordingly, RCTs investigating long-term impact, cognitive and behavioral effects, and cost-effectiveness are much anticipated.