SetPoint Therapy
Willow Rheumatology is committed to providing our patients with the latest advances in rheumatology. We are one of the first providers in Illinois to offer SetPoint Therapy, a novel, non-pharmacological treatment for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. This device-based therapy works with your body by activating your natural immune pathways, which are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. These immune pathways are thought to be dysfunctional in RA patients, which causes uncontrolled inflammation, the root cause of RA.
“I love to be at the forefront of new things coming out to help patients whose current treatments aren’t working. We haven’t had anything new for RA in over 15 years, and I think there are a lot of patients who are searching for something new and looking to have a therapy that is different than medications. I’m excited to offer this to my patients and provide something that could give them a positive outlook towards their disease.” Dr. Angela Crowley
Hear Patty’s experience with SetPoint Therapy
FAQs from SetPoint website
How does the SetPoint Therapy work?
The SetPoint Therapy includes placement of a device on your vagus nerve with the intent to jumpstart, or activate, the body’s own pathways to reduce inflammation and restore the body’s inflammatory balance, or setpoint. In comparison, the typical approach of biologics and JAK inhibitors is to block/inhibit or target specific inflammatory markers or pathways.
Here is how one of Dr. Crowley’s patients who received the SetPoint Therapy describes how the therapy works: “It’s a simple, one day vibration of the nerve, and that’s all I take. I do nothing besides charge (the device) once a week. I’m able to just live my life.”
Is SetPoint Therapy safe and effective?
Yes, the SetPoint Therapy has been clinically proven to be safe and effective. To support its FDA approval, the device was evaluated in a clinical study of 242 patients which successfully met its primary endpoint for efficacy, and the device, its placement, and stimulation therapy were considered safe. Dr. Crowley was the highest enroller in this study. The study now includes data through 12 months of follow-up that demonstrates sustained improvements in tender and swollen joints as well as disease activity; nearly half of patients treated with SetPoint Therapy for 12 months are in low disease activity or remission.
How long does it take for the SetPoint Therapy to work?
The level of effectiveness and time to effectiveness varies from patient to patient. In the RESET-RA study, improvement in the number of tender and swollen joints and disease activity was seen by 3 months after starting stimulation. This response rate was higher in patients who had exposure to just one prior biologic.
What are the possible side effects from the SetPoint Therapy?
The SetPoint device is placed on your vagus nerve during an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. There are some risks associated with the device placement. Serious safety events related to the procedure were observed in 1.7% of study participants in the RESET-RA study. All events were anticipated and consistent with learnings from more than 100,000 patients who have been treated with other vagus nerve stimulation devices over the past 20 years.
Other non-serious events, which typically resolve over time, include pain, redness and swelling at the implantation site, sore throat, cough or tingling as well as risks of vocal cord complications, typically presenting as hoarseness – this was the most commonly observed side effect of the implant procedure occurring in about 5% of study participants. Dr. Crowley will review these risks during her consultation.
What should I expect before, during and after the Implant placement procedure?
Once you and your rheumatology care provider decide SetPoint Therapy is the right option for managing your RA, they will refer you to a surgeon trained to place the device. The next step would be to meet with the surgeon for a pre-operative visit to ensure the procedure is right for you.
The actual placement procedure will be scheduled after your first surgeon appointment. The implant is typically placed during a 60-90 minute outpatient procedure, meaning you typically return home the same day as the procedure and can resume activities of daily living the following day. The implant is placed via a small (approximately 1-inch) incision near a crease on the neck. You return to the surgeon a few days after the procedure for post-operative check.
A couple of weeks after the Implant is placed, you return to your rheumatologist who activates your therapy while ensuring the stimulation is comfortable for you. Once activated, the therapy is automatically delivered daily. All you need to do is charge your device for a few minutes once a week. Your rheumatologist will continue to manage your RA. During these appointments, your therapy can be adjusted, if desired.