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Evaluation of E-Health Applications for Paediatric Patients with Refractory Epilepsy and Maintained on Ketogenic Diet

Anna-Maria Costa1, Maddalena Marchiò1, Giulia Bruni2

  • 1Laboratory of Experimental Epileptology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy.

Nutrients
|April 30, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Web-based ketogenic diet resources, including the KetApp, significantly improved caregiver satisfaction and treatment adherence for pediatric epilepsy. E-health tools enhance daily management and support for families navigating this specialized diet.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Digital Health
  • Dietary Science

Background:

  • Refractory epilepsy in pediatric patients presents significant management challenges.
  • The ketogenic diet is an established treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy.
  • E-health technologies offer potential solutions for improving healthcare quality and disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a ketogenic diet management app (KetApp) and website for pediatric refractory epilepsy.
  • To evaluate the benefits of providing caregivers with web-based materials and digital tools.
  • To assess the impact of e-health resources on caregiver satisfaction and treatment adherence.

Main Methods:

  • A questionnaire survey was conducted with 40 families of pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy.
  • Caregivers received either paper-based materials or enhanced web materials including the KetApp and videos.
  • A Mann-Whitney test was used to compare outcomes between groups.

Main Results:

  • Caregivers with access to web materials reported higher satisfaction with information provided (p ≤ 0.001).
  • Web-material recipients demonstrated improved treatment attitudes, awareness of dietary management (p ≤ 0.001), and motivation to pursue treatment (p = 0.002).
  • Caregivers using web resources were more inclined to introduce the diet to their children and assist other families (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Web-based materials and e-health applications like KetApp are beneficial for caregivers of pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy.
  • These digital tools enhance daily ketogenic diet management and support.
  • E-health interventions are particularly valuable for initiating or maintaining the ketogenic diet, especially during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemicE-health applicationsItalydietary managementdrug-resistant epilepsyketogenic dietsmart technologysmartphone app

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