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Objective Biochemical assessment is recommended for patients prior to initiating and following a ketogenic diet (KD). There is no published literature regarding current practice in the UK and Ireland. We aimed to explore practice in comparison with international guidelines, determine approximate costs of biochemical testing in KD patients across the UK and Ireland, and promote greater consistency in KD services nationally. Methods A survey was designed to determine the biochemical tests requested for patients at baseline, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months + on KD. The survey was circulated to 39 centers across the UK and Ireland. Results Sixteen centers completed the survey. Full blood count, electrolytes, calcium, liver function tests (LFTs), lipid profile, and vitamin D were requested at all centers at baseline, in keeping with international guidelines. Bicarbonate, total protein, and urinalysis were less consistently requested. Magnesium and zinc were requested by all centers, despite not being specifically recommended for pre‐diet evaluation in guidelines. Urea and electrolyte profiles and some LFTs were consistently requested at follow‐up, in accordance with guidelines. Other LFTs and renal tests, full blood count, lipid profile, acylcarnitine profile, selenium, vitamin D, and urinalysis were less consistently requested at follow‐up. The mean costs of the lowest and highest number of tests requested at baseline in our participating centers were £167.54 and £501.93; the mean costs of the lowest and highest number of tests requested at 3‐month follow‐up were £19.17 and £450.06. Significance Biochemical monitoring of KD patients varies widely across the UK and Ireland and does not fully correspond to international best practice guidelines. With an ongoing drive for cost‐effectiveness within health care, further work is needed to streamline practice while ensuring patient safety.

We performed a systematic review of the evidence for effectiveness and acceptability of different ketogenic diets (KDs) in the therapeutic management of gliomas. The search strategy included searches of seven electronic databases. Data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken independently by two authors. No randomized clinical trials were identified. Six studies (n = 39) met the eligibility criteria for this review - all were case series or reports and therefore at high risk of bias. All studies reported overall or progression-free survival; however the effectiveness of KD interventions could not be established. Dietary acceptability was not reported. The effectiveness and acceptability of KDs in the management of gliomas is unknown and high quality randomized controlled trials are needed.

PurposeWe conducted a feasibility study to investigate the use of ketogenic diets (KDs) as an adjuvant therapy for patients with glioblastoma (GBM), investigating (i) trial feasibility; (ii) potential impacts of the trial on patients’ quality of life and health; (iii) patients’ perspectives of their decision-making when invited to participate in the trial and (iv) recommending improvements to optimize future phase III trials.MethodsA single-center, prospective, randomized, pilot study (KEATING), with an embedded qualitative design. Twelve newly diagnosed patients with GBM were randomized 1:1 to modified ketogenic diet (MKD) or medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet (MCTKD). Primary outcome was retention at three months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of patients and caregivers (n = 15). Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative outcomes and qualitative data were analyzed thematically aided by NVivo.ResultsKEATING achieved recruitment targets, but the recruitment rate was low (28.6%). Retention was poor; only four of 12 patients completed the three-month diet (MCTKD n = 3; MKD n = 1). Participants’ decisions were intuitive and emotional; caregivers supported diet implementation and influenced the patients’ decision to participate. Those who declined made a deliberative and considered decision factoring diet burden and quality of life. A three-month diet was undesirable to patients who declined and withdrew.ConclusionRecruitment to a KD trial for patients with GBM is possible. A six-week intervention period is proposed for a phase III trial. The role of caregivers should not be underestimated. Future trials should optimize and adequately support the decision-making of patients.

Background Glioblastoma is the commonest form of malignant brain tumour in adults, affecting 2–3 people per 100,000 per year. Despite current treatment options including surgical resection, radiotherapy and temozolomide chemotherapy, overall survival at 2 years is approximately 27%, with a median survival of 12–14 months. The ketogenic diet (KD) is postulated to work by simulating the metabolic response to fasting by promoting the utilisation of ketones as a primary energy source, and depriving the glycolytic pathways utilised by malignant glioma cells for growth. At present, there is no consensus as to which KD is preferable, with previous case series using different KDs, at different points in the treatment pathway. The aim of this randomised pilot study is to investigate protocol feasibility, tolerability and the impact on patient health and quality of life of two different KDs within an NHS setting. The results of this pilot study will inform which KD will be most deliverable and adhered to by patients in order to test for effectiveness in future trials. Methods A prospective, non-blinded, randomised, pilot study will be undertaken in 12 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma treated by surgical resection. Patients will be randomised in a ratio of 1:1, using a permuted block randomisation method to one of two diets; the modified ketogenic diet and the medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet. Primary data collection will take place 12 weeks after starting the diet and secondary data collection after 12 months. Feasibility will be assessed by retention and recruitment rates, ability to enrol patients prior to starting chemoradiotherapy, dietary compliance and adjustments, ketone levels, glucose levels and intervention time. Patient impact will be assessed through quality of life and food acceptability questionnaires, gastrointestinal side effects and changes to biochemical markers and anthropometric measures, assessed at regular intervals. Discussion The results of this pilot study will be used to inform the feasibility, methodological design and power calculations of future phase III clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of KD as an adjuvant therapy in the management of glioblastoma. Trial registration ISRCTN71665562 and NCT03075514 .

Medical ketogenic diets (KDs) are effective yet resource-intensive treatment options for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). We investigated dietetic care contact time, as no recent data exist. An online survey was circulated to ketogenic dietitians in the UK and Ireland. Data were collected considering feeding route, KD variant and type of ketogenic enteral feed (KEF), and the estimated number of hours spent on patient-related activities during the patient journey. Fifteen dietitians representing nine KD centres responded. Of 335 patients, 267 (80%) were 18 years old or under. Dietitians spent a median of 162 h (IQR 54) of care contact time per patient of which a median of 48% (IQR 6) was direct contact. Most time was required for the classical KD taken orally (median 193 h; IQR 213) as a combined tube and oral intake (median 211 h; IQR 172) or a blended food KEF (median 189 h; IQR 148). Care contact time per month was higher for all KDs during the three-month initial trial compared to the two-year follow-up stage. Patients and caregivers with characteristics such as learning or language difficulties were identified as taking longer. Twelve out of fifteen (80%) respondents managed patients following the KD for more than two years, requiring an estimated median contact care time of 2 h (IQR 2) per patient per month. Ten out of fifteen (67%) reported insufficient official hours for dietetic activities. Our small survey gives insight into estimated dietetic care contact time, with potential application for KD provision and service delivery