Decreased health care utilization and health care costs in the inpatient and emergency department setting following initiation of ketogenic diet in pediatric patients: The experience in Ontario, Canada

Abstract Objective To assess the change in inpatient and emergency department utilization and health care costs in children on the ketogenic diet for treatment of epilepsy. Methods Data on children with epilepsy initiated on the ketogenic diet (KD) Jan 1, 2000 and Dec 31, 2010 at Ontario pediatric hospitals were linked to province wide inpatient, emergency department (ED) data at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. ED and inpatient visits and costs for this cohort were compared for a maximum of 2 years (730days) prior to diet initiation and for a maximum of 2 years (730days) following diet initiation. KD patient were compared to matched group of children with epilepsy who did not receive the ketogenic diet (no KD). Results Children on the KD experienced a mean decrease in ED visits of 2.5 visits per person per year [95% CI (1.5–3.4)], and a mean decrease of 0.8 inpatient visits per person per year [95% CI (0.3–1.3)], following diet initiation. They had a mean decrease in ED costs of $630 [95% CI (249–1012)] per person per year and a median decrease in inpatient costs of $1059 [IQR: 7890; p Significance Patients initiated on ketogenic diet, experienced decreased ED and inpatient visits as well as costs following diet initiation in Ontario, Canada.