A blinded, crossover study of the efficacy of the ketogenic diet.

Abstract

Despite over 80 years of use, the ketogenic diet (KD) has never been tested in a blinded manner. Twenty children with intractable Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) were fasted 36 h and then randomized to receive the classic KD in conjunction with a solution containing either 60 g/day of glucose or saccharin. Parents and physicians were blinded to both the solution composition and level of ketosis. A crossover to the KD with the alternate solution occurred following the sixth day and a repeat fast. A 24-h electroencephalography (EEG) was obtained at baseline and after each arm. After administration of the solution, there was moderate evidence of a reduction in parent-reported seizures between the glucose and saccharin arms, with a median difference of 1.5 seizures per day (p = 0.07). There was no reduction in the number of EEG-identified events, with a median reduction of 7 events per day (p = 0.33). Ketosis was not completely eliminated in the glucose-added arm.

• Authors: John M Freeman, Eileen P G Vining, Eric H Kossoff, Paula L Pyzik, Xiaobu Ye, Steven N Goodman
• Journal: Epilepsia (Epilepsia) Vol. 50 Issue 2 Pg. 322-5 (Feb 2009) ISSN: 1528-1167 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 18717710 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Glucose Solution, Hypertonic
• Ketones
• Saccharin
• 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid

Topics

• 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid (urine)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cross-Over Studies
• Diet, Ketogenic
• Double-Blind Method
• Electroencephalography
• Epilepsies, Myoclonic (diet therapy, urine)
• Epilepsy, Generalized (diet therapy, urine)
• Female
• Glucose Solution, Hypertonic (administration & dosage)
• Humans
• Infant
• Ketones (urine)
• Male
• Saccharin (administration & dosage)
• Syndrome