Annals of surgery
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Immunosuppressive regimens for rejection after heart transplantation have been modified to reduce infectious complications without diminishing rejection treatment efficacy. A review of a single institutional series was performed to evaluate the influence of conservative management of grade 2 rejection on long-term outcomes after heart transplantation. ⋯ Conservative management of late grade 2 rejection neither adversely affects survival nor increases the incidence of subsequent short-term or long-term rejection. This approach lowers the early and late incidence of infection after rejection and may reduce other complications from aggressive supplemental immunosuppression.