Doctor summarizes Mayor Menino’s health condition as mayor moves to Spaulding hospital

By Globe Staff

Dr. Charles Morris, Mayor Menino’s doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, spoke with reporters today about the mayor’s health today. Here is an excerpt of his comments:

“The mayor was admitted on Oct. 26 — came in with a viral infection, feeling unwell, some malaise. In that setting, we found that he had a blood clot in his lung, for which we started him him on appropriate therapy. Shortly thereafter, he developed some low back pain which ... was due to a compressed backbone in his lower spine.

“And while he initially responded to our interventions and was getting stronger and better, his pain worsened, which required further diagnostic testing and investigation. In the process of that investigation, we discovered evidence of an infection in his lower back for which he is now on therapy with appropriate antibiotics and [he] has responded beautifully.

“That infection arose in a setting of a couple complicating factors. One is some of the medications he has taken for his Crohn’s disease. The other was an appreciation while he was here of some elevated blood sugars, which has led to an appreciation of early diabetes, for which the mayor and his care team are focused and working towards and dealing with.

“On therapy for all of these issues, he has done very, very well. So we are pleased to announce today that he is being transferred to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, where he will begin that next phase in the expert hands there of the care team. And we look forward to him doing the important therapy work and getting back to where he needs to be.”