Abstract:To validate the diagnostic value of the Kyoto gastritis score combined with mucosal findings under white-light endoscopy for Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patient data from Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital between September 2023 and June 2024, where patients underwent gastroscopy and 13C breath tests. Patients were categorized into HP-infected and HP-uninfected groups based on 13C breath test results. Kyoto gastritis scores were calculated using the Kyoto gastritis classification system, and endoscopic mucosal changes were documented for factor analysis. The diagnostic efficacy of Kyoto gastritis scores and endoscopic mucosal findings for HP infection was evaluated. The study included 851 patients: 514 in the HP-infected group and 337 in the HP-uninfected group. Multivariate analysis identified diffuse erythema, punctate erythema, patchy erythema, mucosal edema, enlarged serpentine folds, white turbid mucus, intestinal metaplasia, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, goose-flesh mucosa, hyperplastic polyps, xanthoma were independent predictors of HP infection, while fundic gland polyps and elevated erosions were independent predictors of non-HP infection. The Kyoto Gastritis Score demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.924 (95% CI: 0.905–0.944) for predicting HP infection, with sensitivity and specificity of 88.7% and 89.3%, respectively, and an optimal cutoff score of 2 points. Within the Kyoto Gastritis Score, atrophy showed high sensitivity but low specificity for predicting HP infection, whereas diffuse redness, enlarged and serpentine folds, chicken skin-like mucosa, and intestinal metaplasia exhibited high specificity but low sensitivity. Combining the Kyoto Gastritis Score with endoscopic mucosal findings enhances the detection rate of HP infection in the Chinese population.