Abstract

Modern gastroenterology, which occupies the pages of scientific journals without an alternative, began as an initiative of manufacturers of equipment for pH monitoring. DeMeester et al, in contradiction to scientific research, suggested the possibility of gastroesophageal reflux, which does not damage the esophagus. Therefore, they began to perform pH research in the esophagus. This is how a group led by DeMeester arose, who in 1976 published the DeMeester score, i.e., the normal limit for esophageal pH monitoring. pH <4, less than 4% of the time per day was considered normal, i.e., it was unreasonably claimed that such reflux is physiological. However, this study was carried out with numerous methodological errors, which led to an erroneous conclusion. For a long time, pH monitoring was considered the gold standard and with its help hypotheses were proposed that form the basis of modern gastroenterology. Numerous articles using pH monitoring have publicized this method. When practice showed the low diagnostic efficiency of pH monitoring, devices for impedance pH monitoring were proposed, the principle of which was based on previous false ideas about the pathological physiology of reflux disease. As a control for determining the normal limits for high-resolution manometry (HRM), individuals were selected who claimed that they had no complaints. They did not undergo an objective study, including pH monitoring. Therefore, the results of HRM are not accurate and scientific. This article proves the fallacy of 13 hypotheses, which are presented as theories. Conclusion This study provides a list of hypotheses that were previously considered theories, but since scientific evidence has proven these assumptions to be false, they should be excluded from subsequent use and citation.

Keywords

gastroenterology; gastroesophageal reflux disease; x-ray diagnosis; pH monitoring; physiology; hypothesis