[Use of ketogenic diet in children in France from 2001 to 2008].
BACKGROUND
The ketogenic diet is an adequate treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy and certain inborn metabolic disorders. The efficacy of the ketogenic diet for the treatment of epilepsy is now well established. In France, and more widely in Europe, there is currently no consensus concerning appropriate initiation of the ketogenic diet and subsequent patient management.


METHODS
Using the same questionnaire in 2005 and 2008, we retrospectively recorded the practices of child neurology departments of the French university hospitals during three study periods (2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2005-2008). The aim was to evaluate the number of ketogenic diets started and how the ketogenic diet was initiated.


RESULTS
The ketogenic diet was widely used by pediatric neurologists. The number of patients on a ketogenic diet increased over time. Diet initiation protocols also changed over time, being modified adequately with advances in knowledge of the ketogenic diet.


CONCLUSIONS
The French pediatric neurologists appear to have a good understanding of the ketogenic diet.
Auvin
S
S
Service de neurologie pédiatrique et des maladies métaboliques, hôpital Robert-Debré, AP-HP, 48, boulevard Sérurier, 75935 Paris cedex 19, France. auvin@invivo.edu
Porta
N
N
Pourrat
M
M
Bellavoine
V
V
Vallée
L
L
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D055423:Diet, Ketogenic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005526:Food, Formulated; D005602:France; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000927:Anticonvulsants