Assessing the efficacy of antiepileptic treatments: the ketogenic diet.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the evidence for determining if the ketogenic diet is an effective treatment for epilepsy.


METHODS
A literature review of published data over the past 80 years concerning the ketogenic diet was performed, focusing on efficacy, tolerability, age of patient population, as well as study design.


RESULTS
There have been several studies involving prospective and retrospective studies showing the ketogenic diet to be a very efficacious treatment in epilepsy, particularly epilepsy in childhood. However, no Class 1 studies have been published concerning the efficacy of the ketogenic diet.


CONCLUSIONS
The ketogenic diet appears to be a very effective treatment for epilepsy, particularly in childhood. It would be beneficial to have Class 1 studies available to help better define the role of the diet both in children and adults.
Thiele
Elizabeth A
EA
Pediatric Epilepsy Service, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. ethiele@partners.org
D004035:Diet Therapy / Q000266:history; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007662:Ketosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000266:history; D014481:United States