title: Fish Oil Intake and Seizure Control in Children with Medically Resistant Epilepsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is considerable evidence which suggests that Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may have a potential use in the treatment of epilepsy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was to investigate the effect of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (as fish oil supplementation) in reducing the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures in children with medically resistant epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the case-control study, a total of 70 children with medically resistant epilepsy underwent assessment of the frequency and severity of the epileptic attacks at baseline, after one month, two months and three months from the beginning of the study; 35 children received fish oil and the other 35 children received placebo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of children who received fish oil, having 0 epileptic attacks increased from 0%, before starting the study, up to 57.1% at the end of the third month, while the improvement was minimal in the placebo group, with a significant difference in the improvement between the intervention and the control groups. There was no statistically significant difference in improvement in the severity of the seizures either between cases and control or between the beginning and the end of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids elevated the seizure threshold in epileptic patients and may help in achieving seizure control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, High Institution of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Diala Mohamed Ali
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Reda
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, High Institution of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nesrin Kamal
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Abd-El-Fatah
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, High Institution of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tarek El-Sayed Ismail
authors.initials: Tel-S
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, High Institution of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Olfat Abdel Hamid
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Darwish
keywords: Epilepsy; fish oil; omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA); seizures