Use of the Atkins Diet for Children With Intractable Epilepsy: A Comparison of Daily Carbohydrate Limits

Johns Hopkins University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 1

Conditions: Epilepsy

Treatments: Behavioral: Modified Atkins diet

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00181090

05-01-26-05

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is designed to further investigate the use of a modified Atkins diet for children with intractable, daily seizures. It is a follow-up to a study recently completed by our institution. In this 6-month study, children will be randomized to either 10 or 20 grams of carbohydrate per day, then crossed over to the opposite amount at 3 months.

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Ages 3-18
• Daily seizures or 7 per week
• Failed at least 2 anticonvulsants

Exclusion criteria

• Prior use of the Atkins diet for over 1 week
• Significant heart, liver, or kidney disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)