To Study the Efficacy and Safety of Doxercalciferol on Spinal and Femoral Density in Postmenopausal Osteopenic Women in a Long Term 2 Year Study

A clinical trial to compare the effect of doxercalciferol or placebo in preventing bone loss from the spine and femur in postmenopausal women

Inclusion criteria: * postmenopausal women, age 60-78 years * normal general laboratory tests * serum calcium \>10.6 mg/dl (2.65 mmol/L ) or \>0.3 mg/dl (0.075mmol/L) above upper limit of normal on 2 baseline tests, * 24-hour urine calcium \< 300mg (7.5mmol) on two baseline tests, * Bone mineral density (BMD) measured by DEXA of the spine vertebrae L2-3 of 0.70-1.05 g/cm2 Exclusion criteria : * no significant medical disorder known to affect calcium or bone metabolism- hypercalcemia, active renal stone disease ( more than 1 stone episode/ year) or more than 2 stone episodes in a lifetime, sarcoidosis * severe chronic illness, chronic renal failure ( serum creatinine \>1.4mg/dl ,chronic heart failure, * any terminal illness * any history of cancer (except skin cancer) within the last 10 years, * uncontrolled diabetes with significant proteinuria or fasting blood sugar \> 140mg/dl * alcoholism * prolonged hospitalization , extended immobilizations or arthritis that prevents normal physical activity, hemiplegia, previous hip fracture * no previous treatment with medication known to affect bone and calcium metabolism within the last year; chronic corticosteroid therapy \> 10mg/day thiazides, taking long term bisphosphonates or had them for more than 3 months in the past year, parathyroid hormone or derivatives in the last year, estrogen therapy within the last 6 months, anticonvulsants such as phenytoin ,high dose phenobarbital * BMI \> 45kg/m2