Researchers at Oxford University have discovered a common gene variation which plays a significant role in the occurrence of an adverse side-effect caused by drugs used to reduce cholesterol.

Findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that a simple genetic test could identify patients at risk of developing 'myopathy' - severe muscle pain and weakness - before being prescribed statins.

Leader of the study, involving 175 patients taking high dose statins, professor Collins and his team of researchers found that a variation in the DNA code of a gene called SLC01B1 was responsible for 60 per cent of the myopathy cases in people taking high dose statin therapy.

According to the results, SLC01B1 regulates the uptake of statins into the liver and the genetic variant appears to influence its function, leading to higher levels of the statins in the blood.

Commenting on the research, professor Collins said: "We believe this is the first time anyone has scanned the complete human genome for the genetic culprit of a drug's side-effect and we're very excited about the results.

"A DNA test based on these findings could guide doctors as to whether a patient at high risk of heart disease will cope with a high dose of a statin, which might be more effective than a standard dose at preventing a heart attack or stroke."

Statin-induced myopathy is very rare, but can result in kidney failure in some cases.

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