Evidence synthesis · §4
Melanocortin receptor agonists: approved indications and supplied uses — summary of findings
Outcome-by-outcome summary with effect, certainty and the reason for each downgrade.
§4Summary of findings
§4.1Summary of findings
Table 7. Summary of findings for Melanocortin receptor agonists: approved indications and supplied uses.
| Outcome | Participants (studies) | Effect as reported | Certainty | Reason for downgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female Sexual Function Index desire domainThe outcome the Institute designates as anchor for this indication. | 1,256 (2) | Low certainty evidence bears on the supplied uses | Low | risk of bias, inconsistency |
| Discontinuation for adverse eventsReported as a summary-of-findings row rather than in a tolerability annex, following a public submission. | 933 (1) | Reported per contributing trial; see the included-studies table | Low | indirectness |
| Serious adverse eventsEvent counts are low; the estimate is imprecise by construction. | 1,009 (2) | Reported per contributing trial; see the included-studies table | Very low | risk of bias, indirectness, imprecision |
| Any adverse eventAscertained by spontaneous report in the contributing trials. | 1,131 (2) | Reported per contributing trial; see the included-studies table | Very low | inconsistency, indirectness |
| Female Sexual Distress Scale item 13A secondary outcome for this indication. Its hierarchical position within each contributing trial is recorded on that trial's abstract where the Institute holds it. | 785 (1) | Reported as a secondary outcome in a subset of contributing trials | Very low | risk of bias, indirectness |
| International Index of Erectile FunctionA secondary outcome for this indication. Its hierarchical position within each contributing trial is recorded on that trial's abstract where the Institute holds it. | 724 (1) | Reported as a secondary outcome in a subset of contributing trials | Very low | risk of bias, imprecision |
| Certainty ratings describe confidence in the effect estimate for the stated outcome. They are not recommendations and do not transfer between outcomes. | ||||
§4.2Forest plot
Study estimatePooled estimate
§4.3Certainty assessment for the anchor outcome
Table 8. Reasoning recorded against each certainty domain for the anchor outcome.
| Domain | Rating | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Risk of bias | Serious | The primary endpoint is patient-reported in a setting where blinding cannot be maintained. |
| Inconsistency | Serious | Estimates vary in magnitude across contributing trials beyond what chance would produce. |
| Indirectness | No concern | No serious concern identified in this domain. |
| Imprecision | No concern | No serious concern identified in this domain. |
| Publication bias | No concern | No serious concern identified in this domain. |
| Overall: Low certainty. Confidence in the effect estimate is limited. The true effect may be substantially different from the estimate. | ||
Compound Evidence Institute · CEI-ES-031/4 · https://compoundevidence.com/syntheses/melanocortin-agonist-evidence/summary-of-findings/ · retrieved 30 July 2026