Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy
Background: The ketogenic diet is a dietary therapy with anti-seizure effects. The efficacy of the diet is variable, with initial animal studies suggesting the intestinal microbiome may have a modulating effect. Initial research on the role of the human microbiome in pediatric epilepsy management ha...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025000106 |
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| author | Alexander Freibauer Nikhil Pai Rajesh RamachandranNair |
| author_facet | Alexander Freibauer Nikhil Pai Rajesh RamachandranNair |
| author_sort | Alexander Freibauer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The ketogenic diet is a dietary therapy with anti-seizure effects. The efficacy of the diet is variable, with initial animal studies suggesting the intestinal microbiome may have a modulating effect. Initial research on the role of the human microbiome in pediatric epilepsy management has been inconclusive. Methods: In this single-center prospective cohort study, stool samples were collected from 4 patients with drug resistant epilepsy on the ketogenic diet and 9 with drug resistant epilepsy as controls. The samples were analyzed by 16S RNA sequencing. Results: A trend towards increased alpha diversity was noted among patients on the ketogenic diet compared to the control group. Patients on the ketogenic diet also trended towards a higher relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Prevotellaceae species. A subset of the control group had a high relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, which may make them a candidate for a trial of the ketogenic diet as a therapeutic option. Conclusion: These findings add to the growing field of research of how the ketogenic diet modulates the intestinal microbiome in pediatric epilepsy patients. Future emphasis on multi-centre trials, consistent stool collection practices and the establishment of standardized stool biobanking protocols are needed further to validate these novel findings in a pediatric population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-06605c91c7d142d8a6e3f54150e6f727 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj-art-06605c91c7d142d8a6e3f54150e6f7272025-01-17T04:51:48ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-01-01111e41631Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsyAlexander Freibauer0Nikhil Pai1Rajesh RamachandranNair2McMaster University, Department of Pediatrics, Hamilton, ON, Canada; McMaster Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Corresponding author. McMaster University, Department of Pediatrics, Hamilton, ON, Canada.alexander.freibauer@medportal.caMcMaster University, Department of Pediatrics, Hamilton, ON, Canada; McMaster Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Hamilton, ON, Canada; University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Philadelphia, PA, USAMcMaster University, Department of Pediatrics, Hamilton, ON, Canada; McMaster Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Hamilton, ON, CanadaBackground: The ketogenic diet is a dietary therapy with anti-seizure effects. The efficacy of the diet is variable, with initial animal studies suggesting the intestinal microbiome may have a modulating effect. Initial research on the role of the human microbiome in pediatric epilepsy management has been inconclusive. Methods: In this single-center prospective cohort study, stool samples were collected from 4 patients with drug resistant epilepsy on the ketogenic diet and 9 with drug resistant epilepsy as controls. The samples were analyzed by 16S RNA sequencing. Results: A trend towards increased alpha diversity was noted among patients on the ketogenic diet compared to the control group. Patients on the ketogenic diet also trended towards a higher relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Prevotellaceae species. A subset of the control group had a high relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, which may make them a candidate for a trial of the ketogenic diet as a therapeutic option. Conclusion: These findings add to the growing field of research of how the ketogenic diet modulates the intestinal microbiome in pediatric epilepsy patients. Future emphasis on multi-centre trials, consistent stool collection practices and the establishment of standardized stool biobanking protocols are needed further to validate these novel findings in a pediatric population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025000106 |
| spellingShingle | Alexander Freibauer Nikhil Pai Rajesh RamachandranNair Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy Heliyon |
| title | Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy |
| title_full | Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy |
| title_short | Characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy |
| title_sort | characterizing the fecal microbiome in patients on the ketogenic diet for drug resistant epilepsy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025000106 |
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