The impact and adherence of ketogenic dietary therapies for Dravet syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy, safety, and adherence of ketogenic dietary therapies (KDTs) in patients with Dravet syndrome (DS). This study found that KDTs were effective in reducing seizure frequency, especially in the short term, with pooled efficacy rates of 73.4% at 3 months, 59.0% at 6 months, 44.4% at 12 months, and 51.0% for interventions that lasted longer than 1 year. However, long-term adherence to KDTs still remains challenging, as evidenced by the sharp decline in adherence rates from 90.6% at 3 months to 43.8% at 12 months. With the majority of side effects being minor and temporary, KDTs have a typically good safety profile. The study highlights the need for comprehensive support strategies to optimize treatment outcomes and suggests that future research should focus on well-designed randomized controlled trials and innovative approaches to enhance the efficacy and acceptability of KDTs in DS patients.