Is there a role for diet monotherapy in adult epilepsy?

Mackenzie C Cervenka; Bobbie J Henry-Barron; Eric H Kossoff

doi:10.1016/j.ebcr.2016.09.005

Is there a role for diet monotherapy in adult epilepsy?

Epilepsy Behav Case Rep. 2016 Sep 20:7:6-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ebcr.2016.09.005. eCollection 2017.

Authors

Mackenzie C Cervenka¹, Bobbie J Henry-Barron², Eric H Kossoff³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 2-147, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
² Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
³ Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 2-147, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 200 North Wolfe Street, Suite 2158, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

Abstract

Ten adults were treated with ketogenic diet monotherapy for epilepsy. Four patients were naïve to antiseizure drugs (ASDs), and six previously tried and stopped ASDs. Of four treatment-naïve participants, two (50%) were free from disabling seizures on Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) monotherapy for > 1 year. Two (50%) stopped. Four of six patients (67%) who had previously tried ASDs became seizure-free on diet monotherapy, and two experienced > 50% seizure reduction. Side effects included amenorrhea, weight loss, osteoporosis, and hyperlipidemia. Diet monotherapy may be feasible, well-tolerated, and effective for adults with epilepsy who refuse pharmacotherapy and those for whom lifelong diet therapy is recommended.

Keywords: Adult; Epilepsy; Ketogenic; Modified Atkins Diet; Monotherapy; Seizure.

Publication types

Case Reports

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding