Kava dermopathy in Fiji: an acquired ichthyosis?

Abstract

Kava dermopathy is a common cutaneous effect of regular or heavy use of Kava, a psychoactive beverage consumed widely throughout the Pacific. In Fiji in 2012, over 1000 study participants underwent full skin examination, and kava dermopathy was a common cutaneous finding. The clinical manifestations of kava dermopathy share similarities with the spectrum of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyoses, predominantly lamellar ichthyosis. The pathogenesis of Kava dermopathy may be associated with a functional defect in one or more cytochrome P450 enzymes implicated in epidermal integrity, thus mimicking the genetic defect as seen in lamellar ichthyosis type 3.