Children with drug-resistant epilepsy followed at Children's Hospital No.2, Viet Nam treated by KD were included in a prospective study from June 2019 to October 2021. Side-effects, retention rate, number, and duration of seizures were recorded after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of KD. Patients were considered as responders when a 50% seizure frequency was reached. Tolerance and acceptability of the KD were closely monitored.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 50 million people have epilepsy. Among them, nearly 80% of epileptic patients live in developing countries and 75% of them do not have access to treatment. The ketogenic diet (KD) has been shown as an effective alternative for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Although it has been studied by few studies in Asia, no such studies have been conducted in Vietnam. The purpose of this study was to verify the feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy of the KD in children with refractory epilepsies followed at a pediatric center in South Vietnam.