GDF15 and small vessel stroke: Herein, we obtained genetic instruments and summary statistics for two-sample MR analysis from 5 GWASs to investigate the causal correlation between circulating GDF-15 levels and 9 CVDs, including any ischemic strokes (cardioembolic stroke, large-artery atherosclerotic stroke and small vessel stroke), AF, HF, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, CAD and MI.