Abstract
Background. Approximately, one-third of patients with epilepsy are refractory to pharmacological treatment which mandates extensive medical care and imposes significant economic burden on patients and their societies. This study intends to assess the impact of the treatment with ketogenic diet (KD) on reducing seizure-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations in children with refractory epilepsy. Methods. This is a retrospective review of children treated with the KD in one tertiary center. We compared a 12 months' period prior to KD with 12 months after the diet was started in regard to the number of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and hospital days as well as their associated charges. Results. 37 patients (57% males) were included. Their ages at time of KD initiation were (4.0 ± 2.78) years. Twelve months after the KD initiation, the total number of ED visits was reduced by 36% with a significant decrease of associated charges (p = 0.038). The number of hospital admissions was reduced by 40% and the number of hospital days was reduced by 39%. The cumulative charges showed net cost savings after 9 months when compared to the prediet baseline. Conclusion. In children with refractory epilepsy, treatment with the ketogenic diet reduces the number of ED visits and hospitalizations and their corresponding costs.
Highlights
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder affecting approximately 0.5–1% of the population in the United States
Begley et al estimated the annual cost for the 2.3 million prevalent epilepsy cases in the US in 1995 at $12.5 billion, with the direct costs being concentrated in patients with intractable epilepsy [4]
We aim to study the effect of the ketogenic diet (KD) treatment on the number of seizure-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admissions, hospital days, and their associated charges
Summary
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder affecting approximately 0.5–1% of the population in the United States. Another study reported that annual direct medical costs of epilepsy per patient in the United States range from $1,620 to $52,558, depending on disease severity [5]. One-third of patients with epilepsy are refractory to pharmacological treatment which mandates extensive medical care and imposes significant economic burden on patients and their societies. This study intends to assess the impact of the treatment with ketogenic diet (KD) on reducing seizure-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations in children with refractory epilepsy. Twelve months after the KD initiation, the total number of ED visits was reduced by 36% with a significant decrease of associated charges (p = 0.038). In children with refractory epilepsy, treatment with the ketogenic diet reduces the number of ED visits and hospitalizations and their corresponding costs
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