A sleep apnea related risk of vehicle accident is reduced by CPAP - Swedish traffic accident data acquisition (STRADA) registry

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated withexcessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and two to seven timesincreased risk of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) compared withthe general population. The MVA rate in patients with suspectedOSA, clinical features and the effect of treatment on risk predictionwas investigated.Methods: Clinical sleep laboratory patients were cross-analyzed witha matched control group from the general population. The 10-yearincidence of MVA among patients (n = 1478, 70.4% males, meanage 54 (13) years) and accidents (n = 21118) in the generalpopulation was analyzed. Risk factors associated with MVA riskwere determined in patients with OSA.Results: Observed accidents among patients (n = 74) were comparedwith the expected number (n = 29.91, risk ratio 2.47,