Effectiveness of Medium Chain Triglyceride Ketogenic Diet in Thai Children with Intractable Epilepsy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Metabolic Disorders
• Dietary Interventions

Background:

• Intractable epilepsy in children presents significant management challenges.
• Dietary therapies, such as ketogenic diets, offer an alternative treatment modality.
• Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic diet (KD) is a modified formulation of the traditional ketogenic diet.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and feasibility of the MCT ketogenic diet (KD) in Thai children experiencing intractable epilepsy.
• To assess seizure frequency reduction and patient/parent satisfaction.
• To identify common adverse effects and reasons for discontinuation.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of children with intractable epilepsy was enrolled.
• Baseline seizure frequency was monitored for 4 weeks prior to initiating the MCT KD.
• Seizure frequency, side effects, and feasibility were assessed at 1 and 3 months using statistical tests and interviews.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in daily seizure frequency was observed post-MCT KD initiation (p = 0.002 at 1 month, p = 0.001 at 3 months).
• At 3 months, 64.3% of subjects experienced >50% seizure reduction, with 28.6% becoming seizure-free.
• Common side effects included initial weight loss (37.5%) and nausea (25%); 87.5% reported satisfaction, with low dropout rates.

Conclusions:

• The MCT ketogenic diet (KD) demonstrates significant efficacy and feasibility for managing intractable epilepsy in Thai pediatric populations.
• Despite necessary modifications for Asian culinary practices, the diet showed satisfactory tolerability and maintenance.
• Further investigation with a larger cohort is warranted to confirm these findings.