The beneficial effect of probiotics as an adjuvant treatment in childhood drug resistant epilepsy: A prospective pilot study.

Background: One of the most common long-term neurological disorders affecting children is epilepsy. Even with effective antiseizure medications, one-third of epileptic patients develop drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Numerous treatments have been offered to these DRE patients, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotics in improving the quality of life (QoL) and lowering the severity and frequency of epileptic episodes in DRE patients. As well as to assess the anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics.

Methods: DRE patients were daily supplemented with one probiotic for 4 months. During these 4 months, patients continued their routine anti-epileptics with no change in the doses. Before and following the 4-month trial, patients had their QoL evaluated using the validated Arabic version of QoL in epilepsy-31 inventory (QoLIE-31) questionnaire, an electroencephalogram (EEG) examination, and serum soluble CD14 (sCD14) evaluation by ELISA.

Results: Of the 21 DRE patients who completed the study, 42.9% achieved the therapeutic goal, which was a ≥50% reduction in seizures. After probiotic, there was a significant increase in time elapsed since the last seizure (p = 0.001) and a decrease in seizure duration (p = 0.038), frequency (p = 0.002), and severity by Chalfont Seizure Severity Score (p < 0.001), as compared to pre-probiotic data. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in serum levels of sCD14 (p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in QoL (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Probiotics may be used as a DRE adjuvant treatment. They can lessen the number and severity of seizures, alleviate the associated inflammation, and enhance the QoL for DRE patients.