Approach of the patient with generalized adenopathies. Importance of the didactic strategy of the study of clinical cases: a purpose of a patient with Hodgkin’s lymphoma associated with an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus

Abstract

We present the case of a 56-year-old patient with a generalized adenomegalic syndrome who presented a mixed cellular Hodgkin’s lymphoma associated with Epstein Barr Virus. The patient had had great emotional stress prior to the onset of lymphoma, which possibly contributed to the decrease in immunological surveillance. The case was addressed by the students of the fifth semester in the subject “Medical Act”, an interdisciplinary didactic strategy. We present the aspects to be taken into account in the approach of the clinician of patients with adenopathies from an integrative perspective of immunology, clinical and differential diagnoses; and the value of the study of clinical cases with several diagnostic approaches as a didactic strategy is highlighted. Finally, we present a literature review about Hodgkin lymphoma and the role which plays stress related Epstein Barr Virus infection.

Keywords

• case report
• epstein-barr virus infections
• hodgkin disease
• immunosuppression
• lymphadenopathy
• medical history taking
• physical examination
• stress psychologica
• teaching