title: Low-glycemic-index treatment: a liberalized ketogenic diet for treatment of intractable epilepsy.
abstract: The ketogenic diet is often effective for intractable epilepsy, but many patients have trouble complying with the strict regimen. The authors tested an alternative diet regimen, a low-glycemic-index treatment, with more liberal total carbohydrate intake but restricted to foods that produce relatively little increase in blood glucose (glycemic index < 50). Ten of 20 patients treated with this regimen experienced a greater than 90% reduction in seizure frequency.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Heidi H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Thiele
mesh_terms: D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005526:Food, Formulated / Q000592:standards*; D038321:Glycemic Index / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones / Q000097:blood*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011584:Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D007659:Ketones