Ketogenic diet therapy map of Turkey

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Clinical Nutrition
• Epileptology

Background:

• The ketogenic diet (KD) is an established non-pharmacologic treatment for pediatric intractable epilepsy.
• However, KD implementation in clinical practice remains limited, often perceived as theoretical.
• This study investigates the frequency and challenges of KD use in pediatric epilepsy care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of KD implementation for pediatric intractable epilepsy.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to KD use in clinical practice.
• To propose a roadmap for improving KD therapy outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A 24-question survey was administered to 27 experienced pediatric neurologists.
• The survey assessed patient selection, current treatment approaches, physician awareness, and KD implementation impediments.
• Data focused on challenges in daily clinical practice.

Main Results:

• KD implementation is hindered by lack of personnel (53.8%), dietitians (52%), and inadequate training (24%).
• Treatment failures are primarily due to imprecise recipe preparation (94%) and insufficient family support (92.3%).
• Patient-related drawbacks include unappealing taste (76.9%) and low motivation (73.1%).

Conclusions:

• Current KD use for pediatric intractable epilepsy faces significant practical challenges.
• Lack of resources, training, and patient/family support impede successful implementation.
• A National Guideline is crucial to enhance physician awareness and structured KD therapy in Turkey.