Multidisciplinary care team for cancer patients and its implementation in several Middle Eastern countries

This article introduces palliative care to cancer patients in Middle Eastern countries. It considers the importance of the multidisciplinary team in providing an adequate service to the patient and his/her family. It provides views of professionals from the various countries with regard to the role of the nurse in such teams; whereby the three elements of palliative care nursing entail: 1. Working directly with patients and families; 2. Working with other health and social care professionals to network and co-ordinate services; and 3. working at an organizational level to plan, develop and manage service provision in local, regional and national settings. This article also details the challenges that nurses face in the Middle East and outlines the preferable ways to overcome such challenges. The latter include more focused educational activities at the undergraduate and graduate levels and continuous clinical training throughout their work as palliative care nurse specialists.

Maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by cardiac disease

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by cardiac disease in a tertiary care center in Egypt.

METHODS

During a 1-year period, a total of 86 pregnant women with cardiac disease were admitted. Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality were calculated and compared with a control group.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven (89.5%) patients were due to rheumatic affection, and 60 patients were classified as NYHA classes I-II. There was one case of maternal mortality (1.16%), and 10 other cases developed life-threatening complications. Two perinatal mortalities (2.32%) occurred in this series. Birth weight of babies born to mothers with functional classes III and IV were significantly lower than those of functional classes I-II and control group.

CONCLUSION

Rheumatic heart disease with pregnancy is still predominant in Egypt. Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality are strongly correlated to maternal cardiac functional classification.