Ketogenic Diets in the Management of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome—Review of Literature

Abstract

Epilepsy is an important medical problem with approximately 50 million patients globally. No more than 70% of epileptic patients will achieve seizure control after antiepileptic drugs, and several epileptic syndromes, including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), are predisposed to more frequent pharmacoresistance. Ketogenic dietary therapies (KDTs) are a form of non-pharmacological treatments used in attempts to provide seizure control for LGS patients who experience pharmacoresistance. Our review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and practicalities concerning the use of KDTs in LGS. In general, KDTs are diets rich in fat and low in carbohydrates that put the organism into the state of ketosis. A classic ketogenic diet (cKD) is the best-evaluated KDT, while alternative KDTs, such as the medium-chain triglyceride diet (MCT), modified Atkins diet (MAD), and low glycemic index treatment (LGIT) present several advantages due to their better tolerability and easier administration. The literature reports regarding LGS suggest that KDTs can provide ≥50% seizure reduction and seizure-free status in a considerable percentage of the patients. The most commonly reported adverse effects are constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting, while severe adverse effects such as nephrolithiasis or osteopenia are rarely reported. The literature review suggests that KDTs can be applied safely and are effective in LGS treatment.