The Study of the Epidemiology of Pediatric Hypertension (SUPERHERO)is a groundbreaking, multi-site research initiative led by Dr. Andrew Michael South, Associate Professor of Pediatric Nephrology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Designed to better understand high blood pressure in children and adolescents, the SUPERHERO registry brings together hospitals and healthcare systems from across the United States and North America to rigorously collect and analyze real-world clinical data.
At its core, SUPERHERO seeks to answer critical questions: How do hypertension disorders affect youth differently than adults? What are the long-term impacts on heart and kidney health? Which treatments lead to the best outcomes? By examining large-scale data from diverse populations, the project aims to advance evidence-based care and improve long-term health for young people living with high blood pressure.
A Collaborative Team of Experts
The SUPERHERO team includes physicians, scientists, dietitians, healthcare professionals, data scientists, and statisticians who work together to compare outcomes among youth with hypertension disorders, evaluate current care practices, and identify opportunities to optimize treatment. The registry’s multi-site design allows researchers to study trends and outcomes at a scale previously unavailable in pediatric hypertension research.
Since launching in 2021 as a joint pilot between Brenner Children’s Hospital and Levine Children’s Hospital, the registry has experienced exponential growth. What began with approximately 2,000–3,000 children enrolled across a small number of sites has expanded to roughly 20 participating sites across North America. Preliminary data from just the first nine sites already includes more than 13,000 youth—and the registry continues to grow.
Harnessing the Power of CTSI Resources
In an early study video, Dr. South describes how teaming up with the Office of Informatics has made the registry stronger and brought research even closer to patient needs—proving that the technical magic behind the scenes truly leads to better pediatric care. The project also highlights just how much strong partnerships matter. Dr. South, a regular at CTSI, works together with biomedical informatics experts and the Biostatistical Support team led by Joseph Rigdon, PhD, MS, with Biostatistician, Lyle Paukner, on board. Together, Dr. South’s and Dr. Rigdon’s teams have crafted innovative, connected workflows that allow for faster analysis, solid study designs, and greater productivity—a huge win for early-career faculty leading bold, multi-site studies.
Growth Powered by Community and Credibility
Remarkably, the SUPERHERO registry’s expansion has been fueled almost entirely by organic interest. Institutions have joined voluntarily, inspired by conference presentations, peer networking, and word-of-mouth within the pediatric and hypertension research communities. This grassroots growth reflects both the quality of the data infrastructure and the collaborative culture surrounding the project.Dr. South has expanded SUPERHERO into an integrated clinical trial network to expand their work and bring it directly to their patients. This interest and growth have been realized without extramural funding.A major milestone on the horizon is the anticipated approval of the registry’s first extramural R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health, specifically through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. After receiving a fundable score, the application awaits final council review. Securing this funding will mark a critical step in sustaining and scaling the registry’s national impact. More information to come in April.
A Model for the Future of Research
The SUPERHERO Registry exemplifies how visionary leadership, powerful innovation, informatics expertise, rigor research methods, and strong institutional collaboration can transform research. What began as a pilot study has evolved into a continent-wide registry reshaping how youth-onset hypertension is studied and managed. By uniting clinical insight with advanced data capabilities, the project is not only advancing science—it is improving care for children today and shaping healthier futures for generations to come.
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If you are interested in collaborating with the Wake Forest CTSI Informatics team, visit their webpage and submit a request through the service request form to explore partnership opportunities.