Final answer:
Free thyroid hormone levels are normal in hepatic failure and steroid use, but the binding and availability of thyroid hormone may be affected.
Step-by-step explanation:
The levels of free thyroid hormone are not affected by hepatic failure or steroid use.
In hepatic failure, the liver may not be able to produce enough of the protein that binds to thyroid hormone, causing an increase in free thyroid hormone levels. However, the total thyroid hormone levels may still appear normal due to the decrease in protein-bound thyroid hormone.
In steroid use, some steroids can increase the production of thyroid-binding proteins, resulting in more binding of thyroid hormone and reducing the levels of free thyroid hormone.