[Icteric cholestasis as an early symptom in Hodgkin's disease]

Initial symptoms in a hitherto healthy 23-year-old man were jaundice (bilirubin 21.7 mg/dl) and pruritus, but extensive radiological, endoscopical, microbiological and laboratory investigations failed to reveal the cause. Stool culture positive for Salmonella agona suggested intrahepatic cholestasis resulting from a Salmonella cholangitis. However, antibiotic treatment was not successful. As he was in generally good health the patient declined further investigations. He returned two years later because of fatigue, lack of appetite and weight loss. Further tests now revealed lymphogranulomatosis in stage IVb of the nodular sclerosing type. The case demonstrates that cholestasis as an isolated early symptom of Hodgkin's disease can precede by years any further signs of the disease.