[Evaluation of the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet with medium-chain triglycerides, in the treatment of refractory epilepsy in children. Apropos of a series of cases].
Nine patients with refractory epilepsy were treated with a ketogenic diet. All of them had daily seizures with variable length. These patients, aged between 16 months and 13 years old, showed the following epileptic syndromes: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome's (5 cases); epilepsy with myoclonic absences (1 case); "intermediary petit mal" (1 case); benign atypical partial epilepsy in infancy (1 case), and epilepsy with myoclonic-astatic seizures. For a total of 8 patients (88%) we observed a positive response to both the control of seizures and psychic abilities. In five of these cases (55%) the seizure were controlled totally and was possible to reduce the co-adjuvant drugs. In the other 3 patients (33%) the improvement was just partial. Only for one patient the treatment was interrupted due to secondary effects. The results point out the importance of a right diagnostic, an early treatment with ketogenic diet and familiar training in the improvement of the patients. Finally, we also want to remark that a close relationship with a dietetic and nutritional service is essential in order to get an effective and successful diet.
Ros Pérez
P
P
Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid.
Zamarrón Cuesta
I
I
Aparicio Meix
M
M
Sastre Gallego
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007659:Ketones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D007659:Ketones; D014280:Triglycerides
Valoración de la efectividad de la dieta cetogénica con triglicéridos de cadena media (TCM), en el tratamiento de la epilepsia refractaria en niños. A propósito de una casuística.