Erschienen in:
27.08.2021 | Original Article
Effect of ketogenic diet for drug-resistant epilepsy on immunological cells
verfasst von:
May Fouad Nassar, Yasmin Gamal Abdou El-Gendy, Mohamed Tarif Hamza, Marwa Nasser Mohamed, Nesrine Radwan
Erschienen in:
Neurological Sciences
|
Ausgabe 3/2022
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Abstract
Background and aim of the work
Ketogenic diet (KD) is one of the treatments in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). The current study aimed at assessing the effect of KD-induced ketosis on different immunological cells since ketosis is reported to affect neutrophil function.
Methodology
We recruited 21 pediatric patients diagnosed with DRE assigned to start KD. Anthropometric measurements, complete blood picture with differential count, phagocytic function, lymphocyte subsets, and IgG estimation were estimated initially and after 6 months of KD.
Results
There were no differences between the initial total leucocytic, neutrophil, and lymphocytic counts as well as the lymphocyte subsets, and the values after 6 months of KD. IgG values showed significant increase yet the values were still within the reference ranges. For the innate immune system, the phagocytic index was assessed and it showed a marked statistical reduction in patients after KD.
Conclusion
KD has no effect on neutrophil and lymphocytic counts as well as the number of adaptive and immune cells; nevertheless, it causes a reduction in phagocytic index in DRE. Accordingly, further detailed study for the full immunological profile and function is needed to ensure the safety of this therapeutic line and correlate it with the clinical history.