Ketogenic Diet Experience at Ondokuz Mayıs University

Background And Objectives: The ketogenic diet (KD) is a special diet that is rich in fat, and poor in protein and carbohydrates. KD is the first-line treatment for some metabolic disorders, and is also used in resistant epilepsy, autism, cancer, Parkinson, Alzheimer's diseases, and stroke. The KD team consists of a doctor (child neurologist), nurse, and dietician. After diet adjustment, family training, metabolic tests, consultations, material supply, the initial and follow-up stages are performed by this team.

Method: Retrospective data analyses of patients followed at ketogenic diet outpatient clinic were made.

Results: Fourteen patients (6F, 8M) continued their KD treatment, and nine (4F, 5M) of them stopped the treatment. KD treatment duration for those who continued KD was between 1 and 24 months (mean 7.1, median 4), and KD duration of those who left was between 0.5 and 12 months (mean 5, median 5). Three patients became seizure-free, seven patients had ≥ 50% reduction in their seizures, and four patients had no change in seizure. Anti-epileptic drugs could be reduced in five patients. Improvement in perception and social behaviour of the children was expressed by the families. Although one of the patients was seizure-free and the others had 75% decrease in seizures, they left KD due to frequent infection and family desire. The other seven patients who left KD had no changes in their seizures, but four of them continued KD in less than 2 months, and two of them only for 15 days. Weight loss, family problems, infection, and financial concerns were the reasons for them leaving.

Conclusion: Today, although the approach is changing, KD still comes to mind for the most resistant, troubled patients. Stopping the patients' seizures, opening their perceptions, and reducing the medications are satisfactory results. We wanted to share our small group of patients and their results in the hope of expanding the ketogenic diet.