Table 2: Clinical cases of selenium-responsive abnormalities associated with ketogenic diet.

Gender/Age of Patient Reasons for Using Ketogenic Diet Duration on Ketogenic Diet Serum Selenium Level
at Time of Symptom Presentation
Symptoms/Diagnostic Finding that Prompted Selenium Analysis Form of Selenium Treatment Length of Selenium Treatment that Resolves Symptoms Reference
M/5 years Intractable seizures 2.5 months <25 μg/L
(normal >60 μg/L)
Tachycardia, hypotension, cool extremities, poor skin perfusion Intravenous 10 days [68]
M/11 years old Afebrile partial complex seizures 3 years 31.6 μg/L
(normal 79-158 μg/L)
No pulse, cardiogenic shock, QT prolongation None Patient deceased [67]
M/7 years old Intractable epilepsy 3 years 55.2 μg/L
(normal 79-158μg/L)
QT prolongation None Patient deceased [67]
F/13 years old Intractable complex partial seizures 4 years “non-detectable” Pale coloring, whitened nail beds and poor hair texture 200μg/day, I.V.
80μg/day, oral
1 month of I.V then switched to oral (length of oral not reported) [65]