An unfortunate challenge: Ketogenic diet for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in tyrosinemia type 1

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

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.

Ketogenic diet for infants with epilepsy: A literature review

The ketogenic diet (KD) is an established, nonpharmacological treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Actually, KD and its variants have been shown to be elective and resolute for patients with glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) deficiency. The aim of this review was to study the use of KD and its variants in infancy, including the neonatal age, and demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this treatment in patients with the age of 0-23 months affected by DRE already subjected to pharmacological approach attempts. A literature search was conducted using PubMed as the medical database source. We used the age limit of 0-23 months, and we considered only articles published between the years 2015 and 2018, in light of increasing interest worldwide in the use of KD and its variants to manage DRE. We included 52 publications: 1 Cochrane study, 22 retrospective studies, 9 prospective studies, 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 12 clinical cases, and 4 clinical reviews. Literature data showed that KD and its variants are safe and useful in patients with the age of 0-23 months with DRE. Classical KD is of first choice in the treatment of GLUT1 deficiency. Earlier introduction of KD in GLUT1 promises a better outcome and a decrease in seizure frequency in these patients.

An Introduction to Pharmacotherapy for Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Inborn errors of metabolism comprise a wide array of diseases and complications in the pediatric patient. The rarity of these disorders limits the ability to conduct and review robust literature regarding the disease states, mechanisms of dysfunction, treatments, and outcomes. Often, treatment plans will be based on the pathophysiology associated with the disorder and theoretical agents that may be involved in the metabolic process. Medication therapies usually consist of natural or herbal products. Established efficacious pediatric doses for these products are difficult to find in tertiary resources, and adverse effects are routinely limited to single case reports. This review article attempts to summarize some of the more common inborn errors of metabolism in a manner that is applicable to pharmacists who will provide care for these patients.