title: Prayer Marks in Immigrants from Bangladesh with Diabetes Who Live in 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metaxa Anti-Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Athens Medical School - Aeginition Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zampelis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biopathology, Athens Medical School - Aeginition Hospital, University of Athens, Vass. Sophias av. 72-74, 115 28, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalopoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Laikon University Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konstantopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of First Surgical Clinic, Laikon University Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biopathology, Athens Medical School - Aeginition Hospital, University of Athens, Vass. Sophias av. 72-74, 115 28, Athens, Greece. schatzipa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatzipanagiotou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000208:ethnology*
keywords: Bangladeshi immigrants; Diabetes; Diabetic foot ulcer; Prayer marks