Depressive-Like Effects of Foreclosing: A Cross-Sectional Study of Hair Cortisol Concentration.

INTRODUCTION: Foreclosing and home eviction have been associated with various negative health outcomes, probably due to exposure to such stressful circumstance, but there is no evidence about foreclosure and home eviction to elicit cortisol responses. METHODS: Participants who recently had received a court eviction notice were compared to subjects suffering a depressive disorder and to healthy controls in terms of hair cortisol concentrations. RESULTS: Subjects under the stressful circumstance of foreclosure and patients with depression showed comparable concentrations in most of the hair segments while healthy subjects displayed the lowest levels of cortisol. CONCLUSION: The findings show that foreclosure and home eviction are associated with increased cumulative hair cortisol and with depressive-like symptoms. Foreclosing procedures yielded to maintain high levels of cortisol which may increase the risk to develop major depression.

Recurrent basal cell carcinoma of the lower limb with tibial invasion.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin malignancy and is most prevalent on the head and neck region, although BCC can occur in other sites, including the lower limbs. OBJECTIVE: We report the case of an 85-year-old female patient who experienced recurrent BCCs in the lower limb with tibial invasion. METHODS: Treatment consisted of wide skin excision, tibial osteotomy, intraoperative cryotherapy, and coverage with an internal gastrocnemius muscle flap. RESULTS: The computed tomographic scan showed local bone control of the BCC, with no recurrence, so we avoided limb amputation. CONCLUSION: The reported case is uncommon because of the site, the extent of bone infiltration, and local treatment with cryotherapy.