The MR study provides with genetic evidence for the causal relationship of circulating GDF-15 levels with the increased risk of cardioembolic stroke, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction, but not any ischemic stroke, large-artery atherosclerotic stroke, small vessel stroke, heart failure and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. This evidence concerns the gene GDF15 and cardioembolic stroke.