Rafael Gonzales-Lagos

Dr. Rafael Gonzales-Lagos

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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18 October 2023 in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Jagdish KhubchandaniJagdish Khubchandani
Jagdish Khubchandani
Sri BanerjeeSri Banerjee
Sri Banerjee
RGRafael Gonzales-Lagos
Rafael Gonzales-Lagos
GSG. Michael Szirony
G. Michael Szirony

17 July 2024 in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Sri BanerjeeSri Banerjee
Sri Banerjee
TRTim Radak
Tim Radak
Jagdish KhubchandaniJagdish Khubchandani
Jagdish Khubchandani
RGRafael Gonzales-Lagos
Rafael Gonzales-Lagos
PDPat Dunn
Pat Dunn

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Jagdish KhubchandaniJagdish Khubchandani
Jagdish Khubchandani
Sri BanerjeeSri Banerjee
Sri Banerjee
RGRafael Gonzales-Lagos
Rafael Gonzales-Lagos
KKKaren Kopera-Frye
Karen Kopera-Frye
Purpose: Food insecurity and colorectal cancer (CRC) are widely prevalent problems in the U.S. However, the long-term effects of food insecurity among people living with CRC are not well explored (e.g., risk of mortality). Methods: Data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (years 1999–2010) were linked with mortality data from the National Death Index up to 31 December 2019. Results: A total of 30,752 adults comprised the analytic sample; 222 were living with CRC and more than a tenth were food-insecure (11.6%). In our adjusted analysis, individuals who were food insecure and had CRC were 4.13 times more likely to die of any cause and 9.57 times more likely to die of cardiovascular diseases (compared to those without CRC and food insecurity). Conclusions: Colorectal cancer is among the top cancers diagnosed in American adults and more than a tenth of adult Americans with CRC live with food insecurity. Given the higher risk of mortality with co-occurring CRC and food insecurity, collaborative healthcare models can help address food insecurity and other social needs of people with CRC, and surveillance measures for food insecurity should be widely implemented across health systems.

7 October 2024 in Nutrire
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Jagdish KhubchandaniJagdish Khubchandani
Jagdish Khubchandani
Sri BanerjeeSri Banerjee
Sri Banerjee
KKKaren Kopera-Frye
Karen Kopera-Frye
RGRafael Gonzales-Lagos
Rafael Gonzales-Lagos
COClaret Onukogu
Claret Onukogu
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and food insecurity are widely prevalent among adult Americans, but the long term impact of food insecurity on CKD outcomes is

10 October 2025 in Journal of Diabetes and its Complications
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Sri BanerjeeSri Banerjee
Sri Banerjee
Jagdish KhubchandaniJagdish Khubchandani
Jagdish Khubchandani
RGRafael Gonzales-Lagos
Rafael Gonzales-Lagos

28 April 2026 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Sri BanerjeeSri Banerjee
Sri Banerjee
WDW Sumner Davis
W Sumner Davis
KBKay Banerjee
Kay Banerjee
JMJoseph Anthony McMillan
Joseph Anthony McMillan
COClaret Onukogu
Claret Onukogu
RGRafael Gonzales-Lagos
Rafael Gonzales-Lagos
Introduction: The relationship between epilepsy and alcohol use is complex and clinically significant. Alcohol acts as a neurochemical modulator capable of lowering the seizure threshold during both intoxication and withdrawal, while chronic misuse may contribute to epileptogenesis through neuronal injury, metabolic stress, and neurotransmitter dysregulation. However, the long-term impact of alcohol use on mortality among people with epilepsy (PWE) remains insufficiently characterized. The purpose of this study was to assess all-cause mortality risk among individuals with epilepsy based on alcohol use history, stratified by race/ethnicity. Methods: Data from the 2008–2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were linked to mortality outcomes on 31 December 2019 from the National Death Index (NDI) for U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. PWE and alcohol use were determined using self-reported data. Survival probabilities were estimated using weighted Kaplan–Meier methods, and hazard ratios were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates. Results: Our results indicated that among PWE, alcohol use was associated with increased all-cause mortality. The unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) for alcohol use among individuals with epilepsy was 1.30, increasing to 1.40 after multivariable adjustment. In contrast, alcohol use alone without epilepsy was not associated with elevated mortality risk after adjustment. When stratified by race, the combined effect of epilepsy and alcohol use was significantly associated with increased mortality among Black individuals but not White individuals. Conclusions: In this nationally representative cohort, the combined presence of epilepsy and alcohol use was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with alcohol use alone. Racial differences were observed, underscoring the need for integrated clinical care and further research into genetic, biological, and social determinants influencing epilepsy outcomes.