Abstracts

The objective of this study is to assess the long term growth and lipid status of children treated with the classic and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic diets. There are 5 articles that reported ketogenic diet patients[apos] growth status and only one with short term prospective growth status, but there is no long-term prospective study that examines the children[apos]s growth and lipid status., A prospective, nonrandomized study design was used to measure growth and lipid status of children, age 1 to 16 years (mean=5.9[plusmn]3.7), with intractable epilepsy before and after 12 months treatment with the classic or MCT ketogenic diet. None of the children had been on earlier dietary regimens. Forty-eight consents were obtained between January, 2000 and May 2005. Thirty-three children were on the classic diet and fifteen children were on the MCT diet. Paired t tests were done on weight percentile, height percentile, percentage of ideal body weight (IBW), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides (TG)., Thirty-two children completed 12 months on the ketogenic diet. Percentile heights, weights and percentage of IBW at 12 months follow-up were compared to pre-diet data. In the classic diet group (n=21), the percentile heights and weights were significantly changed from the baseline measurements ([italic]P[/italic][lt]0.05). Mean weight percentile was decreased by 5.2 and height percentile decreased by 10.7. There was no significant change in percentage of IBW. In MCT diet group (n=11), the mean percentile height was significantly lower than baseline measurement ([italic]P[/italic][lt]0.05) with a 17 percentile reduction. The percentile weights and percentage of IBW in the MCT diet group showed no significant change. Both diets treatments resulted in height growth retardation. Only the classic diet group demonstrated weight growth retardation.
For both diet groups, there was no significant increase in total cholesterol, LDL and TG at 12 months of diet when compared with their pre-diet measurements. With intensive follow-up of biochemical indexes and elevated levels corrected with polyunsaturated fat intake for both the classic and MCT diet, it appears children are able to maintain a healthy lipid level., Both the classic and MCT ketogenic diets result in significant height growth retardation in children at 12 months follow-up. Only the classic ketogenic diet is associated with a significant weight growth retardation. The MCT diet does not have a negative effect on weight growth. Neither diet treatment produced an increased lipid level at 12 months follow-up. Eighteen and twenty-four months data are in the preliminary analysis to be concluded in the near future.,