To explore the association between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and cardiovascular health scores based on the "Life's Simple Seven" (LS7), and to analyze the mediating effect of systemic inflammation and the moderating effect of gender.

This study was designed as a retrospective study, enrolling 206 subjects each from the Hp-infected group and non-Hp-infected group who visited Beijing Hospital from December 2023 to December 2025, and demographic data, LS7 component scores, blood biochemical indicators and inflammatory markers were collected. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to assess the independent association between Hp infection and total LS7 score. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to investigate the mediating role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and gender differences were analyzed via a moderated mediation model.

The total LS7 score was significantly lower in the Hp-infected group than that in the non-Hp-infected group (8.2±2.1 vs. 10.5±2.0, P<0.001), and the Hp infection rate increased progressively as LS7 health grades deteriorated (28.1% in the ideal group, 50.5% in the moderate group, and 75.0% in the poor group). Mediation analysis demonstrated that hs-CRP partially mediated the adverse effect of Hp infection on LS7 scores, contributing to approximately 38% of the total effect (standardized β=-0.38, P<0.001). Moderation effect analysis showed that the detrimental effect of Hp infection on cardiovascular health was significantly more pronounced in males (β=-0.955) than that in females (β=-0.875).

Hp infection is significantly associated with suboptimal cardiovascular health, and systemic inflammation acts as a crucial mediating pathway. This association is characterized by gender differences, with more marked adverse effects in males. This implies that evaluating inflammatory status and implementing comprehensive interventions for Hp-infected individuals may be of potential value in cardiovascular health management.