The univariate analysis showed that the following were associated with poorer survival: age of onset below or equal to 6 months, history of epileptic seizures, failure to thrive, hospitalisation in intensive care unit, genetically verified disease, SLC19A3 mutations, mt.8993 T > G mutation, SURF1 mutations and brainstem lesions on neuroimaging. This evidence concerns the gene SLC19A3 and Failure to thrive.