Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 27, 2026
In Vivo Fiber-Coupled Pre-Clinical Confocal Laser-scanning Endomicroscopy pCLE of Hippocampal Capillaries in Awake Mice
Published on: April 21, 2023
The Effect of the Ketogenic Diet on the Vascular Structure and Functions in Children With Intractable Epilepsy
Rahmi Özdemir1, Orkide Güzel2, Mehmet Küçük1
1Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Izmir Dr. Behcet Uz Children's Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
Insights
The ketogenic diet showed no adverse effects on blood vessel elasticity in children with epilepsy. However, it was associated with increased serum lipid levels after 12 months.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Intractable epilepsy often requires alternative treatment strategies.
- The ketogenic diet is a recognized therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy in children.
- Potential effects of the ketogenic diet on cardiovascular health require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the midterm impact of a ketogenic diet on serum lipid profiles.
- To evaluate changes in carotid intima-media thickness and aortic/carotid elastic properties.
- To determine the safety of the ketogenic diet concerning vascular health in pediatric epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 52 children (12 months–18 years) with intractable epilepsy on a ketogenic diet.
- Echocardiography used to measure carotid intima-media thickness and elastic properties before and after 12 months of diet.
- Seizure frequency and serum lipid levels were monitored.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides observed after 12 months.
- No significant changes in HDL levels.
- Carotid intima-media thickness, aortic/carotid strain, stiffness index, distensibility, and elastic modulus remained unchanged.
- Seizure freedom achieved in 21 patients by 3 months and 25 by 1 year.
Conclusions:
- An olive oil-based ketogenic diet does not appear to negatively affect carotid artery or aorta elasticity in epileptic children.
- The diet may lead to elevated serum lipid concentrations.
- Further monitoring of lipid profiles is warranted in pediatric patients on ketogenic diets.
Objective:
We aimed to determine the midterm effect of a ketogenic diet on serum lipid levels, carotid intima-media thickness, and the elastic properties of the carotid artery and the aorta in patients with intractable epilepsy.
Methods:
A total of 52 children aged between 12 months and 18 years with intractable epilepsy who started the ketogenic diet from September 2014 to September 2015 were included into this prospective study. Carotid intima-media thickness and the elastic properties of the carotid artery and the aorta were assessed by echocardiography in all cases before beginning of the ketogenic diet and after at least 12 months on the ketogenic diet.
Results:
Twenty-one patients at the third month and 25 patients at the first year of the ketogenic diet were seizure free. A reduction of greater than 90% in the seizure frequency was achieved in three patients at the sixth month and in five patients at the first year of the treatment. The serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride were increased significantly at a median of 12.6 months (range: 12 to 13.5 months) of the ketogenic diet treatment, whereas serum levels of high-density lipoprotein did not change. Carotid intima-media thickness, aortic and carotid strain, the stiffness index, distensibility, and elastic modulus did not change after 12 months of the ketogenic diet therapy.
Conclusion:
Olive oil-based ketogenic diet appears to have no disturbing effect on the carotid intima-media thickness and the elastic properties of the aorta and the carotid artery in epileptic children, although it may be associated with increased concentrations of serum lipids.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
01:17Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium channel blockers exert their antiepileptic effects by targeting T-type calcium channels, which are integral to transmitting nerve signals in the central nervous system. These channels allow the passage of calcium ions, which are vital for neuronal communication. By inhibiting T-type calcium channels, calcium channel blockers effectively reduce the release of neurotransmitters and...