Role of the Gut Microbiota in Pediatric Epilepsy (EPBiome)

This is an interventional treatment trial for Drug Resistant Epilepsy focused on measuring Ketogenic Diet, Gut Microbiome, Inulin Read More

• Inclusion Criteria:

  • Children with epilepsy:

    1. Age 2-18.
    2. Attended the epilepsy clinic for a minimum of 6 months.
    3. On a stable number and type of medications for 4 weeks.
    4. Have not previously been on the ketogenic diet.

  • Healthy controls:

    1. Aged 2-18.
    2. Immunocompetent.
    3. No medical comorbidities (e.g. autoimmune, metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, or gastrointestinal conditions).

• Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Health conditions such as disorders of fatty acid transport and oxidation, porphyria, and pancreatitis, Glucose transporter 1 deficiency, pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency, diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases.
  2. Presence of HIV infection, chronic wound infection, or osteomyelitis
  3. Presence of or treatment for periodontal infection
  4. Inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, current Clostridium difficile infection
  5. Treatment with immunosuppressive agents in the past 6 months
  6. Significant changes in dietary intake (i.e. excluded sugar, lactose or gluten from their diet, started consuming a vegetarian or vegan diet) over the past 6 months.
  7. Gastrointestinal illness in the past month or food intolerances leading to gastrointestinal symptoms.
  8. Use of antibiotics in the 3 months preceding the study.
  9. Use of probiotic or prebiotic supplements in the month preceding the study.
  10. Consumption of probiotic yoghurt in the past 2 weeks.
  11. Use of laxatives, proton pump inhibitors, or gastric motility medications in the month preceding the study.
  12. History of allergic reaction or intolerance of maltodextrin or inulin.