The patient has a history of, or evidence for, metabolic bone disease (other than low bone mineral density) including, but not limited to uncontrolled hyper- or hypocalcemia, hyper- or hypoparathyroidism, Paget's disease of bone, osteomalacia, or osteogenesis imperfecta. Patients with surgically cured hyperparathyrodism due to parathyroid adenoma (at least one year prior to randomization) are eligible for inclusion in the trial. Patients with well-controlled hyper- or hypothyrodism, as indicated by clinical evaluation and normal plasma TSH level are eligible for inclusion in the trial.