Efficacy of medium chain triglyceride oil dietary supplementation in reducing seizure frequency in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy without cluster seizures: a non-blinded, prospective clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite appropriate antiseizure drug (ASD) treatment, around two-thirds of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) have seizures long-term and 20-30per cent of affected dogs remain poorly controlled. METHODS: The current study aim is to test in a field trial the efficacy and tolerability of a commercially available diet enriched with 6.5per cent medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil in dogs (n=21) with at least a tier 1 idiopathic epilepsy diagnosis, without cluster seizures, in 10 veterinary practices across Europe. Each dog's quality of life (QoL), ataxia, sedation and frequency and severity of seizures were recorded by owners throughout the study. RESULTS: The mean seizure frequency per month, averaged over the entire 84-day study, significantly (P=0.04) decreased 32per cent compared with the baseline monthly seizure frequency recorded during the month immediately before feeding the diet. Similarly, the seizure days rate (days/month) also declined (P<0.001) by 42per cent. QoL was reported as very good to excellent (>8.5/10) in 20 of the 21 dogs before starting the diet and this remained unchanged during the trial. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the use of a diet enriched with MCTs as an adjunct to ASD treatment may have some antiseizure properties for dogs diagnosed with IE, as demonstrated in previous studies.

Intoxicaciones agudas pediátricas en el área Metropolitana de Caracas 1999 / Acute intoxications pediatrics in zone Metropolitan of Caracas 1999

Con el intéres de conocer el comportamiento de las intoxicaciones agudas pediátricas ocurridas en Caracas, se realizó un estudio de revisión, de tipo descriptivo, en los archivos de registro en los centro asistenciales de referencia en el área metropolitana (CIATO-UCV., Hospital de Coche y Hospital de Niños J.M de Los Ríos) durante el período de enero-diciembre de 1997. Se atendieron 975 pacientes pediátricos, siendo CIATO el centro que atendió la mayoría de los casos (78,87 por ciento). En relación con la distribución por edades, los escolares comprendieron el grupo más afectado con 516 casos (52,92 por ciento); siguiendo los preescolares (26,87 por ciento). Estas cifras están relacionadas con intoxicaciones alimentarias masivas ocurridas en unidades educativas. Los agentes causales más importantes fueron: los alimentos (51,18 por ciento) y los medicamentos (23,43 por ciento)