Introduction: Validated instruments assess asthma control, improving its management. Most are available only in electronic versions, which may limit the assessment of children who live far from reference centers. Nevertheless, electronic instruments for assessing asthma control in the Brazilian population are scarce. Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of the electronic version of the Pediatric Asthma Control and Communication Instrument (e-PACCI). Methods: This exploratory psychometric study included caregivers of children or adolescents diagnosed with asthma. Those who dropped out or had difficulties understanding and communicating were excluded. A two-week interval was adopted between the standard interview and e-PACCI assessments. Results: A total of 62 individuals were included in the study; 95.1% were women. The e-PACCI presented good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.84) and agreement (ICC = 0.87; CI = 0.81 to 0.91; p < 0.001). The t-test demonstrated equality between versions (p = 0.94). The criterion validity for the asthma control domain presented a moderate correlation between versions (r = 0.52; p = 0.01), and the Spearman test correlated the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory with the asthma control domain of the e-PACCI for construct validity. The asthma symptoms and treatment problems domains presented moderate (r = 0.63; p < 0.001) and weak correlations (r = 0.28; p = 0.02), respectively. In addition, the worry and communication domains did not correlate. Conclusion: The e-PACCI demonstrated reliable and valid psychometric properties.

Background : We aimed to investigate food allergen sensitization as a prognostic factor of new onset wheezing episodes as well as of wheezing severity during follow up in young children with recurrent wheezing. Our secondary aim was to compare serum levels of Club Cell-16 (CC-16) and surfactant protein D (SP-D) among wheezing children with and without food allergen sensitization as potential pathogenetic indicators of the association between food allergen sensitivity and wheezing. Methods : This was a prospective cohort study among children with recurrent wheezing; specific-IgE to five common foods allergens was assessed at baseline and children were followed-up for one year for new onset wheezing episodes. Baseline wheezing severity score, CC-16 and SP-D levels were measured. Results : We enrolled 295 children among which 44 were food specific IgE (Fx5) (+). Poisson regression analysis with food allergen sensitivity, age and wheezing score at presentation revealed that Fx5 positivity changed yearly frequency of wheeze by a factor of 1.66 (p=0.05, 95%CI: (0.99-2.75)). Age changed the yearly frequency of wheeze by a factor of 0.95 (p=0.005, 95%CI: (0.92-0.99)). One-point change in wheezing score at presentation changed the wheezing frequency in the following year by a factor of 1.11 (p=0.005, 95%CI: (0.67-1.99)). Levels of CC-16 and SP-D were not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.679 and p=0.988). Conclusion : Food allergen sensitization defined as serum specific IgE positivity irrespective of food associated clinical allergy findings is associated with worse prognosis of wheezing in children.