Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 1, 2016, Pages 274-276

Prayer Marks in Immigrants from Bangladesh with Diabetes Who Live in Greece (Article)

Papadakis G. , Zampelis T. , Michalopoulou M. , Konstantopoulos K. , Rosenberg T. , Chatzipanagiotou S.*
  • a Department of Endocrinology, Metaxa Anti-Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece
  • b Department of Neurology, Athens Medical School - Aeginition Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • c Department of Medical Biopathology, Athens Medical School - Aeginition Hospital, University of Athens, Vass. Sophias av. 72-74, Athens, 115 28, Greece
  • d Department of Haematology, Laikon University Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • e Department of First Surgical Clinic, Laikon University Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • f Department of Medical Biopathology, Athens Medical School - Aeginition Hospital, University of Athens, Vass. Sophias av. 72-74, Athens, 115 28, Greece

Abstract

Prayer marks (PMs) are commonly occurring dermatologic changes in muslims who pray and develop over a long period of time as a consequence of repeated and extended pressure. PMs need careful examination especially for patients with diabetes, who are more vulnerable due to predisposing factors such as venous insufficiency and peripheral neuropathy. A total of 166 patients with diabetes (150 males, 16 females) and 65 normal subjects from Bangladesh were examined for the appearance of PMs. Twenty-eight patients (16.9 %) and one normal subject (1.5 %) had PMs. The marks were not itchy or painful and they were observed on the dorsal aspect of the left foot, which was attributed to a more typical prayer position that placed pressure on the left foot. PMs are not a rare clinical entity among muslim patients with diabetes and most clinicians should be aware of it as it can be the predominant cause of an ulcer. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Diabetic foot ulcer diabetes Prayer marks Bangladeshi immigrants

Index Keywords

male diabetes mellitus Emigrants and Immigrants female Bangladesh adult Greece Humans Pressure Ulcer ethnology decubitus Islam human epidemiology migrant middle aged
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84954366057&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0184-2&partnerID=40&md5=627e7a2eee3b0c8bfabaac1025bb2e1e
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0184-2
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English