Use of the Atkins Diet for Children With Sturge Weber Syndrome

This study has been completed.

Sponsor:

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:

NCT00639730

First Posted: March 20, 2008

Last Update Posted: May 27, 2010

The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.

Collaborator:

Vascular Birthmarks Foundation

Information provided by:

Johns Hopkins University

Purpose

This research is being done to find out if the Atkins Diet can be used safely and effectively to reduce seizures in children who have Sturge Weber syndrome.

The ketogenic diet is a proven therapy for epilepsy, but can be difficult to use in children. The Atkins Diet is a high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate diet introduced in the 1970s to help with weight loss. It is different from the ketogenic diet in four major ways: no calorie restriction, no fluid restriction, no protein restriction, and is easy to start outside the hospital. People on the Atkins Diet become ketotic (produce high levels of ketones, a certain substance in the body), like patients on the ketogenic diet, and the investigators believe this may lead to seizure control.

Children aged 2-18 with Sturge Weber syndrome and seizures at least monthly, who have used at least two anti-seizure drugs may join. 5 children in total will be enrolled.

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Epilepsy Sturge Weber Syndrome	Dietary Supplement: modified Atkins diet	Phase 1


Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Allocation: Non-Randomized Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment Masking: None (Open Label) Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title:	Use of the Atkins Diet for Children With Sturge Weber Syndrome

Resource links provided by NLM:

Genetics Home Reference related topics: Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome Parkes Weber syndrome Sturge-Weber syndrome pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent epilepsy

MedlinePlus related topics: Epilepsy

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center resources: Weber Syndrome Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome Parkes Weber Syndrome Sturge-Weber Syndrome

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by Johns Hopkins University:

Primary Outcome Measures:

Seizures [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
Seizure frequency will be compared to baseline (pre-Diet).

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Ketosis [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
Safety (stroke like events) [ Time Frame: 6 months ]


Estimated Enrollment:	5
Study Start Date:	May 2006
Study Completion Date:	May 2010
Primary Completion Date:	March 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Arms	Assigned Interventions
Experimental: A This is open-label - all patients are placed on the diet. There is no control or placebo arm.	Dietary Supplement: modified Atkins diet High fat, low carbohydrate diet

Detailed Description:

If you agree to be in this study, we will ask you to do the following things:

Before the diet is started:

We will ask you to keep track of your child's seizures daily for 2 weeks before starting the Atkins diet and provide us with a 3-day food record as well.
Baseline blood (about 2 teaspoons) and urine work will be obtained.
We will give you a free copy of a carbohydrate-counting guide.
You will be asked to fill out a 3-day food record.

On the diet:

Give your child a daily calcium supplement and multivitamin.
Keep a daily seizure log.
Check urine for ketones (to make sure the diet is working) and specific gravity (to make sure your child is well hydrated) twice a week and when you come to clinic.
We will ask you to weigh your child at home every week, and we will weigh him or her when you come into clinic too.
Do not fluid restrict your child; please give plenty of carbohydrate-free fluids.
You will give 20 grams per day of carbohydrates. We will give you instructions on how to measure daily intake of carbohydrates.
We will not change medications for the first three months. Do not change your child's seizure medicines without checking with our doctors.
For the first three months, we ask you to avoid store-bought low-carbohydrate products (as they can have more carbohydrates than advertised).

After being on the diet for one month, Dr. Kossoff will contact you by telephone to discuss how your child is doing. You can also speak with one of our dietitians. We will discuss the 3-day food record with you

You will be asked to come to the clinic (outpatient center, 5th floor) for two follow-up visits:

after being on the diet for 3 months and
after being on the diet for 6 months.

During these visits you will meet with one of our doctors and a dietitian. We will review your child's seizure control and health. We may obtain blood (about 2 teaspoons). We will check your child's urine for ketones and specific gravity.

If the diet is helping beyond 6 months, we will help your child continue on the diet with clinic visits and labs as necessary, at a carbohydrate amount that is most helpful.

Eligibility

Information from the National Library of Medicine

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.


Ages Eligible for Study:	2 Years to 18 Years (Child, Adult)
Sexes Eligible for Study:	All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

2-18 years
Sturge Weber syndrome
Monthly seizures (at least)
Tried at least two anticonvulsants

Exclusion Criteria:

Prior use of the Atkins or ketogenic diets
Patients with non-epileptic seizures (pseudoseizures) will be excluded
Patients that are pregnant or become pregnant during the study will be excluded
High cholesterol

Contacts and Locations

Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00639730

Locations


United States, Maryland
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287

Sponsors and Collaborators

Johns Hopkins University

Vascular Birthmarks Foundation

Investigators


Principal Investigator:	Eric H Kossoff, MD	Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

More Information

Publications:

Kossoff EH, Turner Z, Bluml RM, Pyzik PL, Vining EP. A randomized, crossover comparison of daily carbohydrate limits using the modified Atkins diet. Epilepsy Behav. 2007 May;10(3):432-6. Epub 2007 Feb 26.

Kossoff EH, McGrogan JR, Bluml RM, Pillas DJ, Rubenstein JE, Vining EP. A modified Atkins diet is effective for the treatment of intractable pediatric epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2006 Feb;47(2):421-4.


Responsible Party:	Eric Kossoff MD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00639730 History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers:	NA_00003359
First Submitted:	March 14, 2008
First Posted:	March 20, 2008
Last Update Posted:	May 27, 2010
Last Verified:	May 2010

Keywords provided by Johns Hopkins University:


Epilepsy

Additional relevant MeSH terms:


Syndrome Epilepsy Brain Stem Infarctions Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome Sturge-Weber Syndrome Disease Pathologic Processes Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases Brain Infarction	Brain Ischemia Cerebrovascular Disorders Stroke Vascular Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases Angiomatosis Hemangioma Neoplasms, Vascular Tissue Neoplasms by Histologic Type Neoplasms Neurocutaneous Syndromes

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