Use of the Atkins Diet for Adults With Intractable Epilepsy

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Epilepsy

In brief

This is a prospective study to determine whether the Atkins diet reduces seizures, creates ketosis, and is well tolerated in adults with epilepsy. Approximately 30 patients will be enrolled, expecting 20 to complete the 6-month study. The investigators plan to establish the seizure baseline and type, initiate the Atkins diet, then monitor its administration in terms of seizure reduction, ketosis, and side effects for a 6-month period.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00121927

Run by

Johns Hopkins University

People needed

30

Starts

2004-06-01

Expected to finish

2007-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2010-01-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Ages 18 and over
• Weekly seizures or 4 times per month
• Use of at least 2 anticonvulsant drugs

You may not qualify if…

• Prior use of the Atkins diet for > 1 week
• Prior use of the ketogenic diet within the past year
• Kidney, heart disease, renal disease
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Pseudoseizures
• Pregnancy
• Body mass index (BMI) below 18.5
• Status epilepticus within the past 6 months
• 2 week seizure-free period within the past 6 months

Where it is running

• Johns Hopkins Hospital GCRC — Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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