For Researchers

WPPR is a patient recruitment registry mainatined by the University of Pittsburgh. The purpose of WPPR is to maintain a roster of stroke survivors who have explicitly consented to be contacted about future clinical trials, neurorehabilitation studies, neuropsychological studies, or therapeutic device testing.

Accelerating Recruitment with WPPR

Elderly man smiling while holding an orange resistance band over his head.

 

Finding eligible participants for stroke recovery studies is notoriously difficult. WPPR allows researchers to more quickly filter for candidates who fit highly specific criteria (e.g., "Individuals aged 60-80 who suffered an ischemic stroke 6 or more months ago and experience right-sided neglect"). Our registry helps science to advance more quickly.

Information in WPPR

Multiple brain scans displayed in a grid format.

WPPR uses secured protocols to catalog a stroke survivor's medical profile to match them with your specific research needs. This data typically includes but is not limited to:

  • Demographics: Age, gender, handedness, education, vision and hearing at intake, veteran status, and year of birth

  • Stroke Characteristics: The type of stroke (e.g., ischemic vs. hemorrhagic), the month and year a stroke occurred, and the location of the brain lesion 

  • Acute Care Interventions: Whether the patient received specific treatments like stent placement or mechanical thrombectomy 

  • Functional Metrics & Deficits: The ongoing challenges the patient is dealing with—such as aphasia, hemiparesis, or cognitive changes

Recruitment from WPPR

Woman in physical therapy with older man in wheelchair

The WPPR database contains, with patients' consent, de-identified profiles offering a complete picture of available information concerning their brain injury status, demographic information, clinical diagnoses, basic neuropsychological assessments (when available), and radiologic images. The information is stored in a REDCap database accessible to researchers through a web-based interface.

Researchers who use WPPR must have appropriate IRB-approval and they must complete a formal data use agreement. Once appropriate documentation is in place, the WPPR database can be searched to identify potential research participants. Once a potential participant has been identified, the Registry Coordinator contacts the individual, describes the planned research study, and asks whether they would be interested in participating. If the individual consents to being contacted, the Registry Coordinator then provides the WPPR investigator with the individual's contact information. Scheduling of research participation and signing informed consent is left to the researcher, with the Registry Coordinator monitoring the contact and success.


 

Management of WPPR

Woman in white coat working at a computer in a clinic
  • The daily operations of WPPR are overseen by Denise Balason, the Registry Coordinator. 
  • WPPR is overseen by the Board of Directors, Julie Fiez (Co-Director), George Wittenberg (Co-Director), Brad Mahon, and Mike Dickey.
  • The fiscal administrator, Corrie Durisko, sets up Data Use Agreements and payments associated with WPPR use.
  • Technical staff assist with database development and management.

How Can I Learn More About WPPR?

A person holding a cell phone in front of a laptop.

 

We invite all interested researchers to contact us to learn more about WPPR and its operational procedures. Inquiries should be directed to the WPPR Coordinator, Denise Balason. She can be reached by e-mail at wppr@pitt.edu or by phone at (412) 624-0178.