A new study finds that sleep apnea is linked to a significantly higher risk of motor vehicle accidents, but that this risk reduces with effective continuous positive airway pressure therapy.

Researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden report their findings in the journal SLEEP.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) estimates around 25 million adults in the US suffer from obstructive sleep apnea - commonly termed sleep apnea - a condition where breathing starts and stops during sleep, with the interruptions often accompanied by snorting and gasping.

A new study has found that sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk for gout, a painful disease of the big toe and other joints caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood.

Observational studies have shown that people with sleep apnea have a higher prevalence of excess uric acid, but until now it has been unclear whether sleep apnea is associated with gout, and how strongly.