Clinical efficacy of eucaloric ketogenic nutrition in the COVID-19 cytokine storm: A retrospective analysis of mortality and intensive care unit admission

Abstract

\n Objective\n \n : Primary objective is to explore the effect of eucaloric ketogenic diet (EKD) on mortality, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) and the need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in hospitalized patients affected by COVID-19 in comparison to eucaloric standard diet (ESD). Secondary objectives are: the verification of safety and feasibility of the diet and its impact on inflammatory parameters, in particular interleukin-6 (IL-6).\n \n Results\n \n : The preliminary multivariate analysis shows a statistical significance in survival (P=0,046) and need for ICU (P=0,049) with EKD compared with ESD.\n Considering EKD start day as a time-dependent variable, however, the results maintain a positive trend towards the application of the diet and it is not possible to reject the null hypothesis (p <0.05).\n IL-6 concentrations between t 0 and t 7 (seven days after the beginning of the diet) in the ketogenic nutrition group shows a trend almost significant (P\u202f=\u202f0.062). EKD was safe and no adverse events were observed.\n \n Conclusions\n \n : These results show a possible therapeutic role of EKD in the clinical management of COVID-19. Currently, a prospective controlled randomized trial is running out in order to confirm these preliminary data.\n