Objective:To measure the concentration of free fatty acids(FFAs) and analyse its associations with correlative factors in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS).Methods:11 obese and 28 non-obese women with PCOS and 21 age-matched healthy women were recruited.Serum concentration of FFAs

free testosterone

androstenedione

total testosterone

sex hormone binding globulin

TC

TG

HDL-c

LDL-c

fasting plasma glucose (FPG)

2-hours post prandial glucose (PPG)

fasting insulin(FINS) and insulin sensitivity (with two-step hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique) were measured.Results:There was no significant difference in serum FFAs level between obese and non-obese women with PCOS

while both groups showed higher serum concentration of FFAs than controls( P <0.05).FFAs level correlated positively with free testosterone ( r =0.464

P =0.001)

total testosterone ( r =0.368

P =0.01)

androstenedione( r =0.418

P =0.003)

PPG( r =0.334

P =0.014)

and correlated negatively with M value ( r =-0.392

P =0.003).Linear regression analysis showed that FFAs correlated with free testosterone significantly(β=0.219

P <0.05).Conclusion:Women with PCOS have significantly increased FFAs concentration compared with age-matched healthy women.Serum concentration of FFAs correlates with that of free testosterone.