Laura K. Bachrach

Clinical Focus

• Endocrinology/Diabetes, Pediatric
• Pediatric Endocrinology

Honors and Awards

• Member, Phi Beta Kappa (1970)
• Member, Alpha Omega Alpha (1976)

Professional Education

• Board Certification: Pediatric Endocrinology, American Board of Pediatrics (1995)
• Hospital for Sick Children (1982) Canada
• Board Certification: General Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics (1981)
• Stanford University Medical Center (1979) CA
• UCSF Medical Center (1978) CA
• UCSF Medical Center (1977) CA USA
• Tufts University School of Medicine (1976) MA
• BA, Harvard University Social Science (1970)
• MD, Tufts School of Medicine (1976)

Research Interests

Prevention of osteoporosis begins in childhood and adolescence by optimizing acquistion of bone mineral during the critical adolescent years. Body mass, calcium nutriture, physical activity, growth and sex steroid hormones, and genetic factors are all thought to be important determinants of bone mass although the relative contribution of each remains controversial. My research interests are directed at the process of bone mineral acquisition during childhood in healthy young people and patients with disorders that place them at risk for premature osteoporosis. I am also exploring the optimal therapies for children with bone fragility. Finally, I have been comparing the value of newer non-invasive methods for assessing bone fragility in the pediatric population.

Publications

• Clinical review 1: Bisphosphonate use in childhood osteoporosis. Bachrach LK,  Ward LM.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab.  2009; 94 (2): 400-9
• Effect of oral contraceptives on weight and body composition in young female runners. Procter-Gray E,  Cobb KL, Crawford SL, Bachrach LK, Chirra A, Sowers M, Greendale GA, Nieves JW, Kent K, Kelsey JL.  Med Sci Sports Exerc.  2008; 40 (7): 1205-12
• The effect of oral contraceptives on bone mass and stress fractures in female runners. Cobb KL,  Bachrach LK, Sowers M, Nieves J, Greendale GA, Kent KK, Brown BW, Pettit K, Harper DM, Kelsey JL.  Med Sci Sports Exerc.  2007; 39 (9): 1464-73
• Risk factors for stress fracture among young female cross-country runners. Kelsey JL,  Bachrach LK, Procter-Gray E, Nieves J, Greendale GA, Sowers M, Brown BW, Matheson KA, Crawford SL, Cobb KL.  Med Sci Sports Exerc.  2007; 39 (9): 1457-63
• Consensus and controversy regarding osteoporosis in the pediatric population. Bachrach LK,  Endocr Pract.  2007; 13 (5): 513-20
• Measuring bone mass in children: can we really do it? Bachrach LK,  Horm Res.  2006; 65 Suppl 2 11-6
• Sequential comparisons of one-month and three-month depot leuprolide regimens in central precocious puberty. Badaru A,  Wilson DM, Bachrach LK, Fechner P, Gandrud LM, Durham E, Wintergerst K, Chi C, Klein KO, Neely EK.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab.  2006; 91 (5): 1862-7
• Assessing bone health in children: who to test and what does it mean? Bachrach LK,  Pediatr Endocrinol Rev.  2005; 2 Suppl 3 332-6
• Osteoporosis and measurement of bone mass in children and adolescents. Bachrach LK,  Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am.  2005; 34 (3): 521-35, vii
• Taking steps towards reducing osteoporosis in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Bachrach LK,  Neuromuscul Disord.  2005; 15 (1): 86-7
• Low-dose intravenous pamidronate reduces fractures in childhood osteoporosis. Gandrud LM,  Cheung JC, Daniels MW, Bachrach LK.  J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab.  2003 Jul-Aug; 16 (6): 887-92
• Disordered eating, menstrual irregularity, and bone mineral density in female runners. Cobb KL,  Bachrach LK, Greendale G, Marcus R, Neer RM, Nieves J, Sowers MF, Brown BW, Gopalakrishnan G, Luetters C, Tanner HK, Ward B, Kelsey JL.  Med Sci Sports Exerc.  2003; 35 (5): 711-9
• Comparison of calcaneus ultrasound and dual X-ray absorptiometry in children at risk of osteopenia. Fielding KT,  Nix DA, Bachrach LK.  J Clin Densitom.  2003; 6 (1): 7-15
• Bone mineral density in pediatric transplant recipients. Daniels MW,  Wilson DM, Paguntalan HG, Hoffman AR, Bachrach LK.  Transplantation.  2003; 76 (4): 673-8
• Acquisition of optimal bone mass in childhood and adolescence. Bachrach LK,  Trends Endocrinol Metab.  2001 Jan-Feb; 12 (1): 22-8
• Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) measurements of bone density and body composition: promise and pitfalls. Bachrach LK,  J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab.  2000; 13 Suppl 2 983-8
• Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate in teens: A risk for bone health? Bachrach LK,  Cundy T, Ott SM.  Pediatrics.  2000; 106 (5): 1137-8
• A comparison of calcaneus ultrasound and dual X-ray absorptiometry in healthy North American youths and young adults. Lum CK,  Wang MC, Moore E, Wilson DM, Marcus R, Bachrach LK.  J Clin Densitom.  1999; 2 (4): 403-11
• Influence of pre-adolescent diet on quantitative ultrasound measurements of the calcaneus in young adult women. Wang MC,  Moore EC, Crawford PB, Hudes M, Sabry ZI, Marcus R, Bachrach LK.  Osteoporos Int.  1999; 9 (6): 532-5
• Bone mineral acquisition in healthy Asian, Hispanic, black, and Caucasian youth: a longitudinal study. Bachrach LK,  Hastie T, Wang MC, Narasimhan B, Marcus R.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab.  1999; 84 (12): 4702-12
• Two measures of physical activity as predictors of bone mass in a young cohort. Matkin CC,  Bachrach L, Wang MC, Kelsey J.  Clin J Sport Med.  1998; 8 (3): 201-8
• Bone acquisition and loss in children and adults with cystic fibrosis: a longitudinal study. Bhudhikanok GS,  Wang MC, Marcus R, Harkins A, Moss RB, Bachrach LK.  J Pediatr.  1998; 133 (1): 18-27
• Correspondence between theoretical models and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements of femoral cross-sectional growth during adolescence. van der Meulen MC,  Marcus R, Bachrach LK, Carter DR.  J Orthop Res.  1997; 15 (3): 473-6
• Velocardiofacial syndrome presenting as hypocalcemia in early adolescence. Sykes KS,  Bachrach LK, Siegel-Bartelt J, Ipp M, Kooh SW, Cytrynbaum C.  Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.  1997; 151 (7): 745-7
• Bone mass and hip axis length in healthy Asian, black, Hispanic, and white American youths. Wang MC,  Aguirre M, Bhudhikanok GS, Kendall CG, Kirsch S, Marcus R, Bachrach LK.  J Bone Miner Res.  1997; 12 (11): 1922-35
• Body mass is the primary determinant of midfemoral bone acquisition during adolescent growth. Moro M,  van der Meulen MC, Kiratli BJ, Marcus R, Bachrach LK, Carter DR.  Bone.  1996; 19 (5): 519-26
• Differences in bone mineral in young Asian and Caucasian Americans may reflect differences in bone size. Bhudhikanok GS,  Wang MC, Eckert K, Matkin C, Marcus R, Bachrach LK.  J Bone Miner Res.  1996; 11 (10): 1545-56
• Correlates of osteopenia in patients with cystic fibrosis. Bhudhikanok GS,  Lim J, Marcus R, Harkins A, Moss RB, Bachrach LK.  Pediatrics.  1996; 97 (1): 103-11
• Bone mineral density during treatment of central precocious puberty. Neely EK,  Bachrach LK, Hintz RL, Habiby RL, Slemenda CW, Feezle L, Pescovitz OH.  J Pediatr.  1995; 127 (5): 819-22
• Osteopenia in adults with cystic fibrosis. Bachrach LK,  Loutit CW, Moss RB.  Am J Med.  1994; 96 (1): 27-34
• Turner syndrome adolescents receiving growth hormone are not osteopenic. Neely EK,  Marcus R, Rosenfeld RG, Bachrach LK.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab.  1993; 76 (4): 861-6
• Two-year results of treatment with depot leuprolide acetate for central precocious puberty. Neely EK,  Hintz RL, Parker B, Bachrach LK, Cohen P, Olney R, Wilson DM.  J Pediatr.  1992; 121 (4): 634-40
• Recovery from osteopenia in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa. Bachrach LK,  Katzman DK, Litt IF, Guido D, Marcus R.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab.  1991; 72 (3): 602-6
• Clinical and anthropometric correlates of bone mineral acquisition in healthy adolescent girls. Katzman DK,  Bachrach LK, Carter DR, Marcus R.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab.  1991; 73 (6): 1332-9
• Decreased bone density in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa. Bachrach LK,  Guido D, Katzman D, Litt IF, Marcus R.  Pediatrics.  1990; 86 (3): 440-7